Tears of an Innocent
by asdfjpoetic
Summary: Honestly, you don't want to read this until it's been rewritten...no telling when that will be.
1. Chapter 1:Tears

Title: Human Stain

Author: animeotaku55567

Category: Hn. I am thinking romance. 

Rating: PG 13

Summary: Harry is dead Voldemort has won. Hermione works for Draco now

Disclaimer: I know this may come as a surprise but I actually do not own Harry Potter *gasp* I know but apparently some chick named JK Rowling does. Yes I know you're all disappointed but you'll just have to live with it like I do. Just take it day by day. *sob* you'll get by. 

Authors Notes: I am broke

ETC: My brother's evil chipmunk died. YAY!!!! Now before you get all "awwwww why are you being so mean and report me let me tell you about the hamster. It was pure EVIL, Satan incarnated into a fuzzy fur ball. It tried to bite my fingers off every time I put my hand in the cage! When we cleaned its cage we had to move it with tongs. TONGS!!!! I called it Chuckie and my brother called it Jaws. If that doesn't say enough then I'll scan a picture of my hand with all its scars from that foul demon.

Setting: England__

Chapter One: Tears

_Tearless grief bleeds inwardly_

_-__Christian__Nevell__Bovee_

Hermione curled on her side, her pack pressed into the damp chill wall of the cell. Hermione covered her sapphire eyes with her pale, freckled hands against her eyes. Hands that trembled from pain and despair. Her entire body shook with the need to release the pent up emotions. But she wouldn't let the tears fall. Her body heaved with dry sobs.

            They had failed! Voldemort had won. Everything and Everyone she loved was gone. Dead at the hands of her captor. Harry, Ron, Fred, George, Dumbledore, Sirus, Ginny, even Crookshanks her miserable orange cat. They were all gone. Why was she the only one left? Shouldn't whatever power that dictated the courses set for them have left someone brave like Harry or clever like Fred and George here? But no. She was here alone. With nothing to commend her but useless book knowledge. Hermione swallowed back a sob. And on top of everything she was being kept in the house of Voldemort himself. Hermione curled tighter around herself and squeezed her eyes even more tightly shut. The sound of foot steps could be heard echoing off the damp walls.

            '_It's just a guard doing his nightly rounds'_ Hermione thought _'he's not here for me'_

Her hopes were crushed as the footsteps slowed and stopped outside her cell's door, and she heard keys jingle. She curled up even more tightly around herself, the fresh scabs on her back, from her latest whipping (for kneeing one of the guards in the crotch after he hit her), breaking open and bleeding as the skin on her back stretched. The iron-barred door swung open with a screech of rusty hinges. Polished, black, steel toed boots came to a stop in front of her slated eyes.

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

Draco came to a stop in front of Hermione. Her small body was curled into a tight ball; her back was leaking blood that trickled slowly down the milky skin of her back. Her face was shielded by lank strands of her once bushy hair. But what he could see of her body (which was quite a bit due to the ragged state of her robes) was bruised, bleeding and/or cut. His thin pale lips curled back in disgust at the thought of treading a woman in such a manner.

His mother had taught him to treat a lady like…well a lady!

Draco shook his head. Wasn't this Hermione Granger, the Bane of his existence, the girl he hated? But Draco found it hard to hate someone that was, for the moment, completely helpless

 ~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

Hermione stared at the boots.

_'_Why_ wasn't he talking?'_ she thought_ 'Who is he?'_

Hermione fought the urge to squirm as the man continued to study her. She could feel his eyes raking across her body and she became even more aware of her half clothed state. She shivered as his voice, smooth and seductive as silk trembled across her.

"Get up Hermione I know you're awake." And to add some incentive he gave her a swift kick in the ribs.

Hermione sucked in a breath as the gleaming steel toe of his boot connected soundly with her already bruised and abused ribs.

            _'That-That voice! It's so familiar'_

"Come on Hermione, I don't have all day."

The sneering voice tugged at something in her memories. Hermione lifter her head up and up some more up until her Sapphire eyes met Draco's icy blue ones. Icy blue eyes filled with contempt.

Hermione deflated even more and laid her pounding head back to the cool ground…For a moment, for a moment she had hoped that it was someone she could relate to, someone that would care. But Draco who was as pale as he was evil, probably hated her more then she herself did (which at the moment was quite a lot) 

            "Go away Draco" the words stumbled out through her swollen lips. As she spoke she slowly inched around so that her back was to him, a slow painful process that Draco watched with an amused sneer.

"I am telling you again mudblood, Get up!" 

Hermione curled even more tightly around herself and winced when already abused muscles screamed in protest.

"Go away you sniveling-self serving-egotistical-cruel hearted BASTARD!!!" Hermione hissed

Draco's eye's flashed in fury. The name bastard hit a chord. All the pity he had been feeling before for the crumpled girl evaporated at her words.

"Don't you dare talk to me that way you mudblood bitch!"

Hermione didn't even twitch at his words.

            Draco crouched down next to her turned head, and with all the hate he had embedded in his very soul he let the venom slip through his lips to rain down on the supplant girl. He began to break Hermione down. Layer by layer.

            "Remember back in school Hermione? You were such a Know it all bitch. With your "holier then thou" attitude, you always pretended you were better then us. But your not. You and I were very much alike. We both hate. I hated you. And you hated me. I hated mudbloods. You hated the cure for them, Voldemort."

            "We are polar opposites but in a way were similar." He bent his head so that his lips were but a whisper away from her upturned ear "I still hate you" Leaning back on his haunches he started to toy with a strand of her red-brown hair. "But I shouldn't hate you. At least not now, I mean look at you!" He indicated with his hand her bruised, and lash marked body, the remnants of her robe

"All I should feel for you is pity, but the hates there, waiting, but it seems as if pity is winning" He gave a short mirthless laugh. "Isn't that a crock? I feel pity for the great, or should I say formerly great, Hermione Granger.

Draco dropped the strand of hair he had been threading through is narrow aristocratic fingers back to the cell floor, and once again leaned forward, his lips against her ear and whispered " Do you know why I pity you Hermione?"

            He paused as if waiting for a reaction. Up on receiving nothing but a shiver, he once again leaned back, pushing a strand of silver hair away from glacial blue eyes filled with malicious glee.

            "You are alone Hermione. Completely and totally alone. Your friends, your muggle parents, they are all gone. Dead. You don't have anyone or anything left. Except for yourself."

            Hermione remained still. Frozen from the hate Draco was spewing upon her. He may say the Hate was waiting but no, it was coming out of his mouth. Destroying her. But she could ignore the pain. But what Draco said next breached her defense and left her helpless.

            "Did you watch him die? The man you loved. Did you see him overcome by the darkness take his own life? When he finally realized there was no hope. When he gave into the fear and grief and turned his wand on himself rather then see everything he had worked for destroyed? I wish I could have been there. Seen his face when Harry finally broke, when he finally lost hope.

            But only you were there. Did you try and stop him? Stop him from using the very spell that killed his parents on himself?"

            Draco silenced himself as Hermione's shoulders began to shake with repressed tears.

"Still you don't cry. Not for yourself, not for the man you professed to love. But your love couldn't stop his death. Could it?"

            Hermione felt her resolve to hold her tears in weaken, and then break with his next words.

"Your love wasn't enough."

Hermione began to cry. Great huge tears of pain and horror, grief and fear that were all the worse for they were silent. She wouldn't let Draco hear her cry. The tears streamed down her face leaving gleaming trails down her pale gaunt face.

            Draco watched her shoulders shake but couldn't hear her sobs. He wanted her completely broken when he took her to the Dark Lord. For her own good. He didn't want his newest slave killed before she was really his. Now he knew what buttons to push even if he would hate himself for it later. He had to. Every word he spoke was like a physical blow if not more devastating. So he leaned in and with a voice as seductive and sweet as poisoned honey, he destroyed Hermione.

            "Your love wasn't enough to keep him alive. To keep him hoping. HE didn't love you enough to stick around and see what would happen. OS you watched him kill himself and destroy any chance you may have had against the Dark Lord, watched him destroy everything he had…You weren't enough, he didn't love you enough to stay"

            With that Hermione's sobs became audible. Sobs that spoke volumes. Sobs of pain, self loathing, hate, pain, and the need for companion ship.

            Even prepared for the sobs Draco couldn't help but once again feel the wash of pity but also pleasure in the part of him that still hated anything that had to do with Harry Potter. Draco was still at war with himself when he gathered Hermione up into his arms and took her to see Voldemort.

A/N ohhh!! Harry killed himself. What a bad boy! Leaving Hermione alone with a somewhat schizophrenic (if still sexy) Draco Malfoy.

Draco: Why do you have me feeling bad for her? I hate Granger

Hermione: The feeling is mutual. Hey author why is this a romance? We obviously hate each other!

AO: But physical attraction will be the basis of your relationship. I'll all work out

Draco:…

Hermione:…

Draco/Hermione: NOOO!!!!!!!

REVIEW PLEASE tell me what you thought


	2. Chapter 2:Blood

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Disclaimer: So I was talking to my lawyer today and he told me that I don't actually own Harry Potter. *_gasp*_ I know. Isn't it awful! I am heartbroken but I'll live.

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**REVIEWERS:** I am so happy you all reviewed. I was surprised that so many people liked my story. THANKYOU FOR REVIEWING

**SerpentotheElves**~ HI *waves frantically* MY FIRST REVIEWER!! YAY!!!! I know Hermione's eyes are blue. And it IS a fanfic Draco can be any status I want him to. NAH and Hermione is part of the wizarding community. There for she can be a slave. And why are mudbloods to low to be slaves. It makes sense to me.

**Hotpinkflamingo**~ I am sorry you're not the first reviewer. YOU'RE THE SECOND!!!! YAY!!! *claps ecstatically* I shall update soon. Promise *crosses heart* 

**Airotci**~ YAY you said it was interesting. NETO. I shall continue. WOOPEE. I am all inspired and stuff. You're good at the one liners.

**Ashley**~ Thank you I promise to E-Mail you every time. I am happy my story is different. Hogwarts got boring. I like Voldemort personally. You have to respect someone that has aspirations to take over the world. Or is that just me?

**Sparkle3**~ COOLIO. Yes continue I shall

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**IceSugarHigh**~::beep::thanks::beep

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**The good and the bad**~ thank you for taking the time to read my story and tell me what I need to improve on. Now that I have said that here comes my piece *clears throat* I know Hermione has brown eyes. I felt like writing blue. It's my fanfic and if I want Harry to be a sniveling coward then he shall. Besides you don't really know if he's dead yet do you? AHH I have said too much *tapes mouth shut* Thank you again.

**ClonelCrazee**~ I WANTED Harry and CO. to die. So they did. YAY! This is more. Enjoy thanks for the review. You need to write a story so I can criticize it. MWHAHAHAHAH_sigh_

Chapter Two: Blood

Draco's gleaming boots echoed eerily off the cold stone of the hallways.

_Click, click, click_

His silver hair just brushed is collar in the stubby ponytail he had tied this morning with a black ribbon.

From head to food he was immaculate.

His boots shone

His wizard robes flowed gently over his black pants and a wrinkles white dress shirt,

Which made the appearance of the woman he was carrying bridal style in his arms even more shocking.

Her reddish-brown hair fell from where her head lay limp over his arm almost to the floor.

The skin on her pale, thin body was marred by paper thin scars made by numerous whips, and the skin that wasn't scarred was covered in bruises ranging from the purple color of a new bruise to the pale greenish yellow of an old one.

What was left of her clothes were dirty and ripped

Though her body appeared unconscious her eyes were wide open and fixed on Draco's face. Wariness and hatred evident in her features.

'_Why did he do that…I know we were enemies, but…NEVER LIKE THAT'_ her eyes welled up at the words still reverberating through her skull.

"_'You weren't enough.'"_

_"' He didn't love you enough'"_

_"'The man you loved kill himself'"_

            It wasn't true! She shook her head. Harry can't be dead. She saw him turn the wand on himself but…how could Harry, the boy who had been one of her first friends, the boy that she had been in love with since the very first time he smiled at her. She sighed. The boy who carried the fate of the world around on his shoulders. She gave a little whimper. How could he be dead?

A tear escaped her tightly shut eyes. 

But he was.

 Harry was gone. 

She was alone.

Or was she?

Draco was here. Draco who had teased her mercilessly at school. Draco who had hated Harry. Who said he hated her.

Well he was getting his revenge on know-it-all-Granger wasn't he?

Draco continued down the hall. Watching the play of emotion's on Hermione's face.

_'I wonder what she's thinking'_ Draco grimaced _'Not that I care or anything…its GRANGER!!!'_

His footsteps slowed and then came to a stop in front of gleaming wood doors that stood over ten times his size. The door of the great hall. (AN ~your going "what the hell?" right now aren't you?) Draco gave a little smirk at his Lord's sense of humor. After so many years of being unable to breach Hogwarts' walls he now "lived" in Hogwarts. Draco's smirk turned into a frown. Just another petty slap at Dumbledore. He had now been dead for 3 years and Voldemort still found it necessary to gloat about his success. Draco had been taught to be, if not a gracious winner, a winner that gloated only for a few minuets.

            He dropped Hermione on her feet keeping one of his pale hands in a vice like grip around her upper arm.

            "Chin up Granger! Your about to meet the man responsible for your lover's death." Draco sneered

            "Let go of my arm." Hermione said in a low voice meeting Draco's icy blue eyes head on

            "You'll fall over without my arm there Granger. You don't want to disgrace your self in front of the Dark Lord; he has an interesting sense of humor and a number of curses at his disposal. You will need to remain standing."

            "You blood prat! I don't _need_ you for anything! And the Dark Lord can shove his interesting curses up his a-"

            "Shut your mouth Granger! I don't need you getting yourself killed" Draco hissed

            "What do you care if I am dead or not Malfoy?" Hermione hissed back "I would much rather be dead then have to go anywhere with you!"

            "That is completely up to you…well not completely because you're coming with me and I don't like my servants dead. Animated corpses are never big on conversations and I am looking foreword to our…conversations." (AN~oooh perverted Draco)Draco said in a calm tone hinted with humor.

            Hermione froze in her struggles to get out of his grip _'since when had __Draco__ been so strong? He always looked kinda skinny.'_

            "What do you mean I am going with you?" Hermione asked slowly turning her head to meat Draco'

            "Why my dear" Draco drawled "You are to be the newest addition to my bevy of slaves" He lifted one eyebrow sardonically "Got a problem with it Granger?"

            "Malfoy?" Hermione asked with a deadly calm

            "Granger?"

            "Die!" She said, her diction perfect

His head snapped back from the force of the right cross that had felt as if it had been delivered by a man twice Hermione's size.

            Hermione grinned at the resounding CRACK of her fist connecting solidly with Malfoy's jaw that still echoed through the hall.

            The grin disappeared when Draco turned his had back to face her, the red imprint on his jaw making the anger in his eyes even more threatening.

            Hermione gulped

Draco took a step foreword.

Hermione took a step back.

            "Oh Granger, you are going to get it."

Draco advanced another step

Hermione backed up into the wall.

            "N-now Draco, d-don't do anything rash." Hermione stuttered as Draco made a grab for Hermione. 

"EEP!!!" Hermione shrieked as she ducked under his arm. As soon as she was free she took off running down the hall.

She didn't make it two steps before her legs gave out and left her a sitting duck in the middle of the hallway, where Draco was slowly advancing.

            Draco pulled her up by her arm. His rage carefully controlled. "Come on." He said through tightly clenched teeth

            Pulling her towards the doors of the great hall he threw open one side and dragged her into the massive hall.

            "Pedigrew!" Draco shouted

            The chubby bald man scuttled out from the shadows that the Great Hall was wreathed in. "Y-yes m-m-my l-lord?" Pedigerew stuttered his bald palette reflecting the glow of the candles spaced intermediately along the walls.

            "Please inform Lord Voldemort that I have arrived." Draco said his tone carrying the command of one used to giving orders and having them obeyed without hesitance.

Hermione sneered.

The prick probably couldn't get dressed without ordering someone to do it for him.

Pathetic.

Draco snorted

The stupid wench didn't know when to keep her mouth shut

She was going to get herself killed

Pathetic

Voldemort watched Draco and the girl his most loyal servant had taken an interest in from where he hid under his invisibility cloak.

He remembered this girl Granger.

As Harry had shared memories and thoughts with him, so had he shared memories and thoughts with Harry.

He could even now remember with painful clarity the slow, lazy tumble Harry had taken into love with this girl.

It disgusted him

The human weakness that even now creeped up on him when he was most vulnerable.

If he had his way he would kill the girl

But he had learned long ago not to make decisions based on feelings.

Draco Malfoy was a faithful servant that did good work.

He rewarded good work

If Draco wanted the girl then he would have her

And when he grew bored with her

Voldemort would have her

Voldemort knew the rewards of patience

He would wait

A/N~ MWHAHAHAHHAHAHAH look mom I updated! JK so this is Chapter 2 REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW. *clears throat* sorry tell your friends folks about my amazing wonderful stupendous story. Then tell them to review. AHAH_sigh_ sorry. But do please. I AM BEGGING YOU!!! REVIEW!

Hermione: I shrieked? You made me shriek? WHAT ARE YOU ON?

Draco: I rather liked it.

Hermione: Shut up you bastard or I'll sock you again.

Draco: What did you call me you bitch?

Hermione: YOU HEARD ME!

AO: aren't they cute together?

Draco/Hermione: SHUT UP *simultaneous KO punch to AO*


	3. Chapter 3:Blood

**Disclaimer:** I was at the Library and I saw this book called Harry Potter. I was all "No way they have a book on my characters" But I was looking at it and all rights to the characters are given to some chick called JK Rowling. Go figure.

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**On the last chapter:** Yes I know that the last chapter was kind of confusing. See the entire point of that chapter was Hermione getting to sock Malfoy. I felt kind of bad for her in the last chapter so I let her get her revenge. I believe in revenge

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**To the Reviewers:** I HAVE 29 REVIEWS I AM SOOOOO HAPPY!!!! *does back flip* I have 29 no 30 wait 31reviews on this story you guys are reviewing so fast I can't keep up. In 5 days!! I have a bone to pick with some of my reviewers though; none of you bothered to go and read my other story *sobs into hankie* IT ONLY HAS 6 REVIEWS!!! 6! And one of them I did. It's so sad. I want at least ten reviews before I update but I'll settle for 8. On this story I would appreciate hearing any ideas you guys have.

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**Sparkle3:** I am happy I got that chapter done to. Those were my sentiments "OH" and then "Draco you nasty boy you" Well enjoy

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**IceSugarHigh:**

 ::beep:: I am glad you like it:::beep::

::beep:: this whole beep thing drives my spell check crazy lol::beep::

::beep:: its fun though::beep::

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**ColonelCrazee:** Hey Kenny poo. HAH I CALLED YOU KENNY!!! THE BAUCUM FACTION WILL FALL  IN THE FACE MY SUPERIOR INTELLECT AND MIGHTY ARMY. MWHAHAAHAHAHHAHA. *clears throat* thank you K for the review I appreciate it. See I found all these errors but I don't want to take down the chappie to edit them soooo…deal with it. Hey look your ex-girl friend reviewed

**Megan**: I know you only reviewed the first chappie but I just had to give you thumbs up for your great review. *sobs* SHE THINKS I AM BETTER THEN JK ROWLING I LOVE YOU MEGAN!!!!!!

**Cereza:** Ya I never really liked Harry either. Thus he is dead. MWhAHAHAAHAHAHAHAH. Yes I am aware that Hermione has brown eyes I wanted to write her with blue eyes. Pretend she's wearing colored contacts. Everyone seems to mention the fact that I wrote her with blue eyes. Darn. I LOVE DRACO TO!!! I personally like Voldemort. He's so much fun to write about and you have to respect someone that has aspirations to take over the world (in my fic he actually does take of the world. GO Voldemort. 

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**Sk8erpunkGCpnay:** Good Charlotte right on. I don't want to make it R rated because, legally I can't watch R rated movies (fan fictions aren't the same but still) I am going to make it as dark and gory as possible without  making it R. Who knows maybe I will make it R later on. 

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**HermioneDMalfoy:** I like the exchanges to (there my favorite part)

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**Tennisplaya278:**  If I told you if Draco ever got bored of Hermione it would ruin the plot…which would be bad. And of course I'm not okay. Do you think I'd be writing a fan fiction if I was okay? Just kidding.

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**PandyDawn:** I have a plot? I didn't realize. Just kidding. Thank you so much. Don't ever stop writing. To write well you have to practice a lot. I read other peeps stories and always go "They are so much better then me! I should just quit." But now I just write for me and if other peeps like it that's great.

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**Haystack8190:** I have a risky plot? I wasn't even aware that I had a plot. Hm I must think about this carefully. (I m just kidding I have a plot…sort of) Of course I'll keep updating so you keep reviewing.

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**Wats up?: ** I do love being original

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**Animeotaku55567:** what is this? Someone has stolen my name!!! Oh wait I reviewed myself. HAHAHAH. Be afraid, be very afraid.

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**Donuto: ** YOU REVIEWED. WOOP DEE DOO!!!! HUGS. It really is to bad you're a guy or else I would marry you (jeez I really hope you're the right person)

I caught that mistake to but I am too lazy to take down the chapter and edit it though. But starting now I will re read my story 5 times before publishing.__

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**DarkAngelB:** HI SWEETIE *hugs sally* how are your doing. I know you reviewed this story right in front of me but I am still happy. YAY!!! I told you in the Authors Notes that Draco was schizophrenic. 

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**Ashley****:** I emailed you! Be proud of me! I have tons of spelling mistakes. No worries.

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**In Dreams:** Really I am sooo happy my story is different. I'm sorry to disappoint but it is quite possible Draco will go soft where Hermione is concerned. I AM SORRY!!! BUT IT HAS TO HAPPEN FOR THE STORY TO DEVELOP!!! WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHH. I like Draco better when he is evil. Bad guys are just so much sexier. *pouts* Oh well

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**Hotpinkflamingo:** Thank you so much *takes bow*

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**cinder122:** Thank you I do enjoy being original. WOOTZILE WOOTZILE WOOTZILE 

**ShortStuff10:** I had to kill Harry and everybody it was very important to the plot, J You shall see. I'll try to read your stories as soon as I can. Promise *crosses heart*

Chapter Three: Blood

_Peace, above all things, is to be desired, but blood must sometimes be spilled to obtain it on equable and lasting terms._

_~__Andrew__Jackson___

            Hermione watched Draco rub his jaw. It was already bruising Hermione noted with a smug look. 

"I wouldn't be to pleased with yourself Granger" Draco stated when he saw where her eyes went "You're the one that will be paying for it later"

She then switched to boring holes into the back of Draco's head with eyes heated with hate.

_'If I had just ONE chance…' _Hermione thought _'I'd do way more then bruise his pretty face'_

            "Really Granger it's quite easy to see what you're thinking. You won't be doing anything more to my beautiful body"

Instead of rising to Draco's bait Hermione asked with a sneer "So where is this high and mighty master of yours? I thought rulers of the world were supposed to be on time when they meet their lackeys. Or maybe you're not important enough to merit his attention."

            Draco just raised an elegant white-blond eye brow "Granger I am the highest ranking official for Voldemort there is. You should be showing your pleasure in the fact that you are about to be my servant by, oh, groveling on the floor or some such other mudblood occupation."

That did get a rise out of Hermione. 

"Why you arrogant son of a –" before Hermione could finish the thought a chilly voice cut across the seemingly vacant room

"Draco, you would do well to keep the girl's mouth shut." The voice hissed, sending shivers of dread down Hermione's spine

Voldemort threw off the invisibility cloak and walked, no something so sibilant could not be called walking, glided towards where Hermione and Draco stood.

            "So this is the girl." Voldemort hissed

Hermione was to busy staring at the face she had only seen once before. The red eyes that slanted up. The pale skin, so thin the veins could be seen. And his nose that was no more then two narrow slits in his flat face. The face that haunted her dreams.

The reason for all her suffering.

The reason for all her hate.

The only creature she hated.

Because for all Draco's blustering she didn't really hate him.

Not with this soul tearing, stomach cramping intensity.

Draco's voice snapped her out of her thoughts.

            "Yes milord this is the girl."

Draco's voice was as cool as Voldemort's. Giving no hint to the storm that was raging inside him,

            _'What if he doesn't let me keep Hermione?'_ Draco panicked _'What would I do? I don't want her staying here with Voldemort. Who knows what he would do to her?'_

            Hermione shivered as Voldemort's eyes met hers. His ruby eyes gleamed with intelligence and hate. Hate that seemed as if it was the core of the entity that was Voldemort. 

_'If someone were to take that hate away I wonder if Voldemort would collapse inward. Having nothing else to support his body'_ Hermione mused_ 'He sure as hell doesn't have a soul.'_

            "This is what you want for capturing the last of the rebel faction? A useless slave?" Voldemort hissed

            "Useless she may be. But I have a score to settle with her. What better way then to keep her in my house." Draco said without a hint of emotion, his eyes frosted, and his body held still.

            Hermione's head snapped up at Draco's words.

_'How dare he talk about me like I am not here. How dare THEY?'_ Hermione found herself getting progressively angrier.

_1_

_2_

_3_

_4_

_5_

_6_

_7_

_8_

_._

_._

_._

_Screw it_

            " I AM NOT USELESS! COME ON YOU STUPID WANKER! I"LL---"

"SILENCIO!" Draco shouted. His wand pointed at Hermione's mouth

_'UGH! Stupid Granger all you had to do was be quiet for 10 minuets! Now you'll probably never speak again!' _Draco groaned inwardly

"Useless and disobedient. Do you think it wise to take someone like that into your household? She would disrupt your entire life."

Draco thought quickly.

"I like my slaves disobedient. It gives me so much pleasure to break them."

Draco could feel the hair on the back of his neck stand on end where Hermione was glaring daggers at him.

If looks could kill…He would have already died a thousand painful deaths.

_When I get to his mansion… He'll wish he'd never been born!_ Hermione fumed silently, her arms crossed over her chest.

_I'll…I'll CASTRATE HIM!!! Or maybe I'll draw and quarter him…" _This time it was Voldemort's voice that interrupted her gleeful planning of the ways she could put Draco through enormous pain.

            "Very well take her with my blessing." Voldemort hissed "Do you want her to be blood bonded to you?"

Hermione looked at Draco and could see him considering the words.

_'She'd never be able to hit me without causing herself physical pain. She won't be able to leave my grounds with out me accompanying her. Hmm." __Draco__ mused_

            "Yes" Draco said calmly "I think that would be a marvelous idea"

_'What…what did he just agree to'_ Hermione thought

Then she stopped thinking at all when Voldemort pulled a long, gleaming, wicked looking dagger out of his wizard's robes.

Hermione froze

_EEP!_

Animal instincts took over

Hermione looked left

Then right

Then ran

Ran as fast as her legs could carry her

Towards the doors.

_"__PETRIFICUS__TOTALIS__!!" _ Draco shouted his wand once again pointed at Hermione.

"See she will be great fun to tame. " Draco said from where he was crouched over Hermione 

"Would you do the blood bonding milord?" Draco asked Voldemort

Voldemort smiled. Pale thin lips stretching back into something that resembled a grimace more then a smile.

Then Voldemort began to chant.

"Blood is the base for all things that live

Blood ties us

Blood binds us

Blood keeps you from hurting

But causes pain also

Blood ties

Blood binds" 

(A/N that sucked sooo bad)

Voldemort took the knife and slid it across Draco's palm, leaving a thin line of blood on the pale skin of his palm. "Blood ties" Voldemort repeated

Voldemort then turned to Hermione and picking up her rigid hand he drew the already bloody knife across her upturned palm. "Blood binds."

Hermione felt the skin on her arms prickle at Voldemort's words. A sense of foreboding swept across her.__

_'_

_'I don't like all this talk of binding'_ Hermione thought '_uh-oh'_

Hermione's soul was ripped violently from her body.

She sat there hovering over her rigid body and noticed with a cool detachment that Draco had fallen to the floor.

_'Am I dead? What a worthless way to die. I wish I had gone like Sirus. You know accomplish something with my death.'_

She felt a light tug on her wrist as Draco appeared next to her

_'You're not dead. Out spirits are being bound' _He held up there joined wrists.

'_Our spirits will remained bound even when we return to our body'_

(A/N ATTENTION IDITOS: PLOT DEVELOPMENT!)

A/N aren't I awful. I ended it right when it was getting good. In answer to ColonelCrazee's question this is how they will fall in love.I know the whole chanting blood thing was lame but…what's a girl to do? 

Hermione: You made me eep which is almost as bad as shrieking

Draco: Just admit I intimidate you

Hermione: Why you egotistical-

AO: Now children don't you know fighting and flirting are the same thing?

Hermione/ Draco: GIVE UP!! *drop kick AO to Morocco*

AO: *on way to Morocco* REVIEW!!!! 


	4. Chapter 4: White

**Disclaimer:** I BOUGHT PARADISE KISS 5 IT IS SOOOO SAD. BUT SOOOO GOOD. I CRIED FOR LIKE AN HOUR AFTER I READ IT. Oh ya. Don't own Harry Potter, I just keep Draco locked up in my closet along with Sesshoumaru, InuYasha, Kouga, Arashi, and Spike. I will apologize for this chapter in advance. We have testing this week and my brain is on melt down. *bows* please accept my humblest apologies. RATING IS GOING UP!

**On the last chapter:**  I AM SO SORRY FOR ALL MY SPELLING MISTAKES. BUT I'LL BE GOOD. I'LL RE READ LIKE I DID FOR CHAPTER 3. SEE I WOULD TAKE DOWN MY STORY AND CORRECT *dodges tomatoes and trash* AS I WAS SAYING I WON'T DO THAT TO YOU. WHATS A FEW SPELLING MISTAKES?

**To the Reviewers: **Wow! REVIEW HEAVEN! Y'all reviewed. You made me so HAPPY. 

**IceSugarHigh:** ::beep:: totally lame but at least I admit it ::beep::

::beep:: it's going to be very good ::beep::

::beep:: randomness and bad spelling…half of my entity ::beep::

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**Cereza:** RESPECT THE EVILNESS! I love Draco to! Guys that can have you beheaded are just so sexy. 0.o don't ask

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**Tennisplaya278:** Oh ya Morocco is AWESOME *takes sip from coconut drink with the little umbrella* ahhh. Such a nice vacation. I started working on my story the very next day. Because I have no life. HAHAHAH

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**ColonelCrazee:** Just admit you're jealous of my AMAZING talent. Well I was just saying that I would like for my peeps to review my story and make me happy.

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**Sk8erpunkGCpnay:** Hey I am reading your story. Bloody Valentine. I LIKE IT A LOT! I gave Hermione a stronger persona then are usually in fan fictions I just wanted her to be like "BRING IT BITCH!" and so she has

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**Horsekrazy08:** Who me? Bondage? heheheheeh. You know I was going to put my personal fantasy with Draco in there. Lalalalal *whistles innocently*. 

**Heavengurl899:** I know the chant sucked. I admitted it didn't I? lol. Voldemort has a sense of humor. It may or may not surface in some of the later chapters. I never really did like syrup very much.  Did I ever say Harry was gay? I don't remember and Harry's sexual preference is none of my business since he (MAYBE) is dead. I lover Hermione's smart mouth to. Draco is going to lover her mouth for different reasons (oooh I am nasty) HAHAHAH

**Megan****: **But being mean is so much fun! I am SO clever JK.

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**Kitten:** I like the dialogue to. Here is my update. WOO HOO!

**OBStar20:** OB as in ocean beach? Do you think you could tell me where it got confusing please? It would be a BIG help. Thank you so much it gives me a warm happy feeling to know that peeps love my story.

**Animated Echo:** Hello my love. Draco IS sexy. The epitome of sexy. _Sigh_. I keep him locked in my closet, and I don't share. MWHAHAHHAHAHA. BYE PARADISE KISS! IT IS SOOOO INSANELY GOOD. IT"S ADDICTIVE. Heheheheh. It makes you cry. If you like crying buy Peach Girl by Miwa Ueda. 

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**DarkAngelB:** Yo home girl ( to everybody else: don't ask, inside joke) I am glad you get my sense of humor. Nobody else seems to *pouts* that's okay though AS LOOOOONG AS YOU LOVE ME!  I HATE YOUR BROTHER TOO!!!!!! We can kill him together! It did suck. I m honest about it. 

**Miko********Angel****:** Wow you actually reviewed my stories. Usually when you ask another author to review they go "NO" but thank you so much. Funnies and foreboding they do mix well.

**Jaha:** I want to know what's going to happen to!

**haystack8190: **I made this chapter longer just for you. Hm maybe they will be bound in death. Maybe not. HAHAHAHAH thank you for the idea

**Ashley**: I am proud of myself *pats self on head and throws doggie treat. Annie chases after the doggie treat* I wouldn't mind being bonded with Draco, whether blood or you know…hand cuffs. LOL

**Sher:** I have been told I have an addictive personality turns out I have addictive stories to. Just kidding, but thank you very much. Draco's no fun unless he is an egotistical git. 

**InDreams: **A massive anger-love fest. I went to a beautiful visual place. But ya Draco is going to turn into a big cushy ball of love. Just kidding. Being dropped kicked by your own imagination HURTS *rubs bottom* 

**Hotpinkflamingo:** Hm…the latin I love Cheese would be fun. Maybe I'll take down my chappies and edit and stuff. @__@ or maybe not. My brain hurts from all the testing.

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**Mozambique****: ** update update :-D yes yes yes wee I am so strange 

**Shortstuff10:** you're welcome. Update I shall

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**Viv:** that's what I am hoping for, a great romance.

Chapter Four: White 

_   "I don't like white. It pretends to be so pure and clean but will become any color._

_It's the color that seduces me the most. I can't keep from taking it by force"_

-- _George__, __Paradise__ Kiss v. 4_

Voldemort watched the eerily transparent outlines of Hermione and Draco with a sneer.

Watched as their souls were bound for all eternity

Even if one of them were to die the other soul would linger waiting for its mate to join it before moving on to the after life, if there was such a thing

No matter where one of the blood bonded went they would always have a piece of their mate.

Share a perspective with that person.

Know what that person was feeling

Thinking

It was a weakness 

A willingly inflicted weakness

Voldemort could not understand someone willingly accepting the debility.

He had offered it simply to gauge the depths of Draco's feelings for the girl.

Draco had accepted

Voldemort grimaced

He would have trouble taking her back.

Voldemort smiled

But he would have her back

Voldemort always got what was his in the end

He faded into the shadows leaving the ghostly outlines alone

~*~*~*~*~

Hermione was dreaming

She was sure of it

She believed in magic

But nothing she had read in the vast, dusty libraries of Hogwarts had talked about blood bonding

That was the phrase Voldemort had used, blood bonding

Maybe it was dark magic

Even the name had the ring of evil

(A/N~blood tends to have that affect)

But why would Malfoy be in her dreams?

But Malfoy was here.

She felt a hand on her shoulder

A gentle pressure slowly turning her around to face Draco

And just as slowly his lips met hers (A/N ~ it **had** to happen x___x)

At first slow gentle brush of lips and then slowly deepened the kiss

He gently wrapped his hand around the milky column of her throat and squeezed lightly

And took the kiss even deeper

A vicious, tender, edgy kiss that narrowed Hermione's perception to where their mouths met

(A/N O____o *pukes into waste basket* ugh that was awful)

Suddenly Hermione was back in her body, her limbs chilled from the marble floor, aware of every ache and pain in her stiffened body.

"ugh" Hermione groaned and then sat up with a small whimper.

She rubber her hand back and forth across her mouth

_'Did…did I just kiss Malferret?'_

Draco opened his eyes and studied the enchanted ceiling of the great hall and grinned

That was something

Who would expect that Granger could kiss?

Back in school he'd always figured her for an ice princess

His grin grew even wider

Boy was he wrong

Having her blood bonded might be more interesting then he had originally thought

He got to his feet with a graceful flourish, his wizard's robes billowing

In fact it would be a load of fun

He couldn't wait to get her to her new home

And get her alone

In a bedroom

Quite possibly naked

His grin grew even wider (A/N~ if that is at all possible) at the image

Hermione's groan brought him back to reality

"My dear" Draco purred "allow me to assist you" He reached out his hand to help Hermione up, and it was violently slapped away.

"Don't touch me you perv." Hermione said through clenched teeth

"what have I done to deserve a name as foul as pervert?" Draco asked innocently

Hermione's face flamed red

"You…YOU KISSED ME!" Hermione shouted from her seat on the floor

"You didn't seem to mind" Draco said in an exaggeratedly ignorant voice

Hermione made a noise very close to a growl and Draco backed away.

"Don't. Touch. Me" Hermione said in slow English. If Draco wanted to play dumb then she'd oblige him.

With a little groan, and very little ceremony, Hermione hoisted herself to her feet. Bending over a little she rubbed her legs, careful not to remove any of the scabs that traced up and down her legs, trying to bring feeling back into the frozen limbs. When she lifted her hand away she noticed a smear of blood where her left hand had been. Turning over her hand she stared at the slash across her palm that was still oozing blood.

Hermione gave a very un lady like squeal

"LOOK! LOOK AT WHAT YOUR GOD DAMN MASTER DID TO ME!" Hermione screeched

"He did it to me to my dear. And nobody will notice one more scar." He said indicating his own hand and then her slash marked arms, back, and legs.

"I don't care! I didn't do anything to deserve this one! And what was up with that stupid blood bonding thing anyways? Voldemort mumbles some cheesy chant that sounded like it came out of some corny horror film that they play on late night television, and then I get ripped out of my body, and then you kiss me." Hermione fairly shouted the words in Draco's face. "I'd rather be back in the dungeon"

Draco sneered "Watch your mouth wench. It isn't good to displease your master" He smoothed back his white blond hair and brushed an imaginary piece of lint from his sleeve.

"Oooh…WHY YOU LITTLE…"

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Hermione was determined to make Draco's life a living hell.

Anything she could do to him

She would do

Anything that would conceivably cause pain

She would discover it

Utilize it

He would not get away with making her his slave

Hermione made this vow silently as she paced back and forth across the plush room she was being held in until Draco could organize a flying carriage to take them back to his manor.

She studied the blue velvet hangings and the matching blue bed spread

The fines mahogany trousseau 

For a man that hated muggles Voldemort certainly had a lot of the nicer muggle items

She walked over to the spelled window.

To have freedom be so close

But so unattainable made her heart give a little twinge

She missed it

The freedom

The caring

She missed her family

Her friends

Harry 

Ron 

Ginny

Crookshanks

She missed everything about her old life

Even the merciless taunting she had endured both in the muggle world and the wizarding world had taken on the glow of the desired

She pressed her face against the chilled glass and stared up at the stars

Eyes scanning the heavens for the star Harry had sworn on

Sworn never to leave her

Her BLUE (A/N~ hahahah take that bitch. Sorry continue)  eyes looked at the icy pinprick through a veil of tears.

Hermione grimaced at the familiar pain she felt when remembering

Hermione turned away from the window

Remembering wouldn't help bring him back

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Draco dropped the bag he was carrying

Draco felt a pain in his chest

An ache in his heart

He felt the need to cry

Memories of…Harry, Harry and Hermione together flashed through his mind

He grimaced in disgust

It was disgusting

How any two people could be that lovey dovey and not throw up was a mystery

He watched as Harry came up behind Hermione in the library at Hogwarts and awkwardly kissed her

Their first kiss

Draco snorted 

He could kiss better then that when he was in diapers

He watched as Harry and Hermione danced under the stars

Watched Harry promise never to leave her

_'Screwed that one up didn't you lover boy?' _Draco thought

He watched the time Harry had snuck into the girl's dormitory

Had woken Hermione and taken her to the secluded alcove in the gardens

Watched their kiss grow deeper and deeper

Watched Harry's hand slide down Hermione's body and unbuttoned her blouse…

Draco shook his head to clear the foreign memories

He didn't want to watch Harry and Hermione go at it.

And on a park bench no less

Outside

Like animals.

His lip curled in disdain

He picked up the bag and continued on to Hermione's room

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Hermione laid back on the big springy bed that was placed dead center in the obnoxiously ornate room she was locked up in.

She'd just close her eyes for a little…

Everything was nicer when her eyes were closed.

The pain seemed less real

It was an escape

…

Even if it was just a momentary one

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

That's where Draco found her.

Curled on her side like a dragon guarding its treasure

Or a little girl with a stomach ache 

Her tiny fist placed on the pillow next to her lightly parted mouth

Her hair spilled over her shoulders and a few stray strands fell across her face

She seemed so young without those intelligent blue eyes spitting fire at him

So vulnerable

When she was awake he forgot how small she was

A mere 5'3 to his lanky 6'4 

She just seemed so formidable when she was awake

He forgot that he had to watch his strength

He knew what power his fists could wield when he was in a rage

I have to protect her from everything

…

Even myself.

He brushed the fiery hair away from her pale face

Tenderly traced the shadows under her eyes

The prominent bones of her cheek bones

He'd protect her.

He quietly picked up the bag he had came in with and gently slid his arms under Hermione and picked her up,

Carrying her swiftly and silently out of the room, down the stairs, across the front lawn, and into the lushly appointed carriage, he laid her down gently on the soft velvet seat and smiled when she didn't move a muscle.

He sat down across from her and watched her in her sleep

The enchanted carriage rose silently into the starry sky

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Hermione awoke with a start to Draco's gentle snoring

She sat up slowly her neck and back stiff from the seat of the carriage

She swung her feet onto the floor and pressed her face against the enchanted window of the enchanted carriage

And stared out and the inky night that was shot through with holes that surrounded them

She always wondered about the sky

When she was little she used to think that the sky was just blindingly white

And god realized Humans wouldn't understand the beauty of something so pure

So he had spread a blanket over the world just like a human would do to the parrot's cage.

But the blanket had been old and worn and had many holes in it which allowed her and the other humans that graced this planet to catch a glimpse of that great white expanse.

The pureness of what the sky should have been

But she knew now all about outer space. Star, novas, planetismals, planets, and the practical side of her mind wouldn't let herself indulge in such childish fancies.

Oh but how she longed for the days when she could.

Back in the days before she had become Know it all Granger

When their had been simple wants

Simple needs

Simple goals

Go to college

Get married

Have children

Back when she had understood her wants and needs

Before everything had gotten complicated

Before she had discovered she was a witch

Even though she had been a witch as long as she could remember

Not exactly known that she was a witch but known that she was different

Known that she could do things normal children couldn't 

Like the time Devon McGuiness had stolen her back pack and hit her when she tried to get it back. The next day he had come to school with a huge wart on his nose.

As far as she knew it was still there.

Or the time Susie Carmichael had teased her about her teeth

And a huge gust of wind had blown, through a window left carelessly open, her dress up over her head in front of the entire school to see at an assembly

Hermione sighed

It looked to her like she would never have what she wanted

Maybe things would have been different if she hadn't had powers

If Harry hadn't died.

Hermione was lulled back to sleep by Draco's gentle snoring

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Draco awoke as the carriage bumped down onto the front lawn of his mansion

Home sweet home

He grinned

Now the fun would really start

He glanced over at Hermione

Her head was resting against the enchanted glass of the carriage

Her mouth parted and breathing lightly

It really would be a shame to wake her

But what would his servants say if he came in carrying her?

The girl who was supposed to be a slave?

Fuck the servants he would do what ever the hell he wanted

And as he had at Hogwarts he gently picked her up and carried her to the house

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

The next time Hermione awoke it was in another bedroom

But unlike the one at Hogwarts she had been locked up in this one was tastefully decorated in royal blue and silver.

The first thing she did was try all the doors.

One lead to a beautiful blue tiled bath room with a Jacuzzi tub

The other lead to what looked to be an office

But the last door wouldn't open

She tried all the windows but they were spelled firmly shut just like the ones at Hogwarts and the ones in the carriage

_'I'm locked in'_ She fumed

Might as well make the best of it

Hermione got to work on snooping

The oak armoire contained a TV. 

Hermione just stared at it

The familiar magic box

The box that would suck the brains out of your head through your nose

The box she had spent so many hours in front of when she was a child

Just looking at it made her want to cry.

"My dear old friend" Hermione sighed wistfully "how I have missed you."

She stroked her hand along the smooth surface

Her hand hovered over the ON button but doors and drawers she had yet to open called to her.

The night stand next to the comfy blue bed she had woken up in contained the remote control to the TV, and another remote control to the stereo.

A walk in closet concealed so that the door looked like another wall contained clothes that only took up a tiny fraction of the huge space. 4 different wizards robes. Five suits with the label of what she knew to be an expensive french designer that were tailor made for the owner. The next thing she found surprised her. Neatly hidden in between stacks of boxer shorts was a leather bound book. 

_'Malfoy…keeping a diary? Isn't that a little girly?'_ Hermione thought as she tried to open the book.

It was spelled firmly shut and wouldn't open no matter how hard she tugged on the cover

Her hands itched for a wand

Just imagine what she could do to Malfoy if she could open that book?

Hermione gave one last half hearted tug on the cover of the book and then left the closet to wander around the room.

The office contained book cases bulging with books

Hermione breathed in the scent of dust she always accompanied with the library at Hogwarts where she had spent so many hours in wonderful solitude surrounded by her favorite things

Books

Hermione smiled 

She would read later

She turned on her heels and headed towards the bathroom

Hermione opened the door and stared at the wonderful, wonderful humongous shiny bathroom

Hermione gave a little sob

A bath tub

An actual bath tub

Hermione walked over and turned the water on as hot as she could stand it

And watched the steam billow

She glanced at the bottles sitting on the blue marble counter

Bath oils?

BATH OILS! 

Brand new 

Not opened

Giving a quick thanks to whoever had left them, certainly not Malfoy, she added some of the sweetly smelling oils to the rising level of water in the bath tub.

Stripping off her ruined garments she kicked them into a corner

She wouldn't' be putting them on again

She stepped daintily into the swirling water gave a quick gasp when she sat down

And then sighed as she submerged herself

_'Bliss' _Hermione thought happily as layers of grime were stripped from her body

She slicked her hair back and studied the bottles resting on the far edge of the bath tub

She reached for the nearest bottle popped the cap and sniffed

Strawberries Hermione smiled in delight

She squeezed a goodly amount on to her palm and worked it through her wet hair

Humming to herself she didn't hear the door the room open and close, didn't hear the footsteps that paused in front of the bathroom door and then retreat, or the door close again.

Fifteen minuets later when Hermione emerged from the bathroom, rosily clean and still humming, she discovered a soft looking robe and a tray laden with food

Shrieking with joy it wasn't until she had dropped the blue towel to the ground and donned the blue robe that she realized someone must have come in while she was having a bath.

Hermione looked around the room, but, seeing no one she shrugged her shoulders and tucked into the heavenly meal.

Looked like she had a fairy god mother

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Draco smiled as he headed down the stairs

He had done good

He hadn't peeked while she was bathing

He'd do that next time

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Voldemort paced back and forth across the wine red carpet

He wanted the girl

But he had given her to Draco

Draco was more valuable in the long run 

So he needed a way to get Draco to give the girl back to him

He needed away to get Draco to stop loving her

It would be difficult since the now shared a bond so strong that nothing on this earth could break it.

Voldemort smiled suddenly

Nothing on this earth could break it

But what about someone who was no longer of this earth

Hermione was about to get a visit from an old friend

A/N~ I worked really hard on this chapter. 16 pages all for you. Enjoy. If you peeps want me to write you a note on your reviews make sure you review ALL of my chapters. Yes all of them. (Or just the last one) But review as many as you want. I NEED REVIEWS! I never realized how much reviews meant until I became an author. REVIEW, REVIEW, REVIEW

(OA's corny review blue song)

When I'm feeling blue

Oh when she's feeling blue

Nothing makes me feel better

Then a review

Oh a review!

HAHAHAHHAHAHAHAH LOOK AT ME I AM FUNNY REVIEW!

Hermione: You made me kiss him? PUT MY LIPS ON THAT FERRET! YOU'RE SICK! YOU SHOULD BE LOCKED UP SOMEWHERE WITH NICE PADDED WALLS

Draco: You should enjoy it while you can because I am going to dump you pretty damn soon you don't have enough bust to keep me interested

Hermione: *grumbles* you were nice in the fic

Draco: You're making me go soft Annie

Hermione: *pinches Draco's cheeks…hard* aww but I wike you wike that 

Draco: Don't touch me woman

OA: Awwww they really are cute together

Draco/Hermione: 1,2,3 simultaneous hog tying technique on author, dump author into the bay

OA: blub blub


	5. Chapter 5: Fate

**Disclaimer:** Yesterday I was tackled in the street bye JK Rowling's lawyers. The big burly one sat on me until, under the combined force of muscle and legal power, I gave in. I admitted that JK Rowling owns * sniffle * Harry Potter. WAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!! *Runs to office to create more crappy fan fictions* BUT DRACO IS MINE! MWAHAHAHAHHAHA

**WHAT MAKES ME MAD:** I got all these reviews that were emailed to me right? I read them and deleted them. But none of them showed up on the Internet! So I apologize to those people who wrote reviews but won't get responses because I didn't remember all those names. It makes me mad because I had a couple really looooong reviews that made me jump for joy (not literally but…you know what I mean)

**On the last chapter**: last chapter was really fun to write. I kept getting inspired and I wrote a grand total of 16 pages. Aren't you proud of me? I know I am. * Does happy I wrote 16 pages dance *

**To the People that read my stories but don't review:** I am on the author alert list for 23 people but at least 12 of those people haven't reviewed my story. Don't get me wrong I Iove the fact that you love my story but the best way to show that is to…REVIEW * does please review dance *

**To the reviewers:** You guys make me so happy. If ya'll were guys and it was legal I would marry you all. JUST KIDDING Sally is my only one true love. Rosie is just a physical attraction. (Don't ask it's one of those privet jokes that don't make any sense to people outside of a certain group) I got desperate for reviews and emailed a whole bunch of people. Hehe patience isn't one of the virtues I possess 

**Denise4:** It is just the start huh? WAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHh * sobs into hankie * 

**wildchartermage****:** Thank you very much teetee

**Ginny Wealsy:** I am pretty interested in what's going to happen next to. 

**Carly114:** I am glad you enjoy them. They are very fun to write. I am running out of things for Draco and Hermione to do to me though. So sad.

**wats**** up?:** I update waaaaay faster then anybody else I know 5 chapters up since the 12th that's a lot of updating. I do have a life, a boring one, but it does take up a lot of my time. Just kidding I appreciate your enthusiasm 

**Otakuannie****:** I reviewed myself again! HAHAHAHAHAHh you know you love me

**DarkAngelB****:** I know I lost a whole bunch of reviews that way. They were all emailed to me but they never showed up on the Internet. Stupid ff.net. gr 

**Sparkle3:** *chuckles evilly* you know you love the suspense it's a mood enhancer. *Nudge, nudge, wink, wink*

**Airotci****:** Ya I do like blue and I was meaning to change the bedroom at Hogworts to red but I forgot…oops! The whole blanket over the sky thing kinda came to me while I was writing. I thought it was very profound. Yes the whole "person coming back to life" is going to be VERY interesting

**Donuto**** (AKA DELILA..Or...Desirae u_u)():** It was my favorite chapter to! I don't know why. I like switching characters it adds tension yup.

**Cereza****:** awwww short review but I love you anyways

**Sstormeye1303**: I hate you Danny. Nah I'm just kidding I LOOOOOOOOVE YOU! You said my story was brilliant. You made my 81 reviews go to 85 (even if your reviews were really short)

**Alcapacien****:** Thank you very much. I like it when Draco and Hermione beat me up to. Oh baby oh baby. Just kidding. 

**Fleur:** I made you cry. YIPEE! The best compliment an author can have. * grins * I am planning on writing more…in fact, HERE IT IS!

sk8erpunkGCpnay: Awwwww stupid ff.net that's okay though nobody wanted to write the original review over again.

Tennisplaya278: Ya she is. Hm I didn't remember that when I was writing I knew it was from somewhere but I am a little absent minded

IceSugarHigh: ::beep:: me to ::beep::

::beep:: I lost all these reviews ::beep::

::beep:: gr that makes me SO MAD! ::beep::

DeniseSampson: No problem I like reading stories. Here is the update

**Colonel Crazy: **It's R now dim wit. It says so right at the top of the page. Nothing bad to say? What about good things to say? I HATE YOU!!!!!!!!!!! * Runs away crying* WAIT I'M JUST KIDDING I LOOOOOOOOOOOOVE YOU!!!!!!!!! *gives off creepy stalker vibe while running back to KP *

Chapter Five: Fate 

"We're tossed by the winds of fate. Once we end up where they blow us, we make of ourselves what we will" 

--Uncle Niall from Born in Fire

Hermione gave a little sigh as she reclined awkwardly against the pile of pillows at the head of the bed, hands folded over a delightfully full stomach. Her back wouldn't allow her to get comfortable. The bath she had just taken had opened up the newly healed over wounds. She pondered over her choices.

Hermione groaned.

She was so BORED.

She had been in this room for three days straight.

Every day food would be apparated to her room at 8 o'clock, 12 o'clock and 6 o'clock.

She had read almost half of the books in the library.

And she had remembered why she didn't watch TV all that much.

There was nothing on but crap.

Not like she had much choice.

Here goes.

*Click * 

In moments Hermione was caught up in the tempestuous affair of Maurice and Sylvia. 

Sylvia was married to the mob boss that wanted to kill Maurice. But there love conquers all.

Sylvia's long lost twin sister and Maurice were getting hot and heavy when Hermione drifted off to sleep.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

_In Hermione's Dream.___

_Hermione was running, running, running.___

_Her legs pumped furiously. _

_But she couldn't seem to reach man she was running towards._

_Was it because she wasn't moving?_

_Or because he was running from her?_

_All she knew was that she had to get to him. _

_Had to get to __Harry__.___

_Had to save him from the evil that was chasing her.___

_Had to wrap her arms around his broad shoulders.___

_Had to love him.___

_Had to see his beautiful green eyes again.___

_A cry welled up in her throat._

_And __Harry__ turned around._

_But his beautiful green eyes were red._

_His face pale and leathery.___

_His nostrils were slits._

_A twin to Voldemort.___

_She was running again._

_Away from what had once been __Harry__.___

_Running to what she knew was a safe place._

_The place she had forsaken for that illusion._

_"Please let him forgive me…" Hermione whispered…_

_She ran faster._

_She couldn't see where she was running._

_But she knew in her heart she was almost there._

_Almost to __Draco__.___

_She could see him now…_

_See his silver hair._

_His piercing blue eyes brilliant in the smothering cloak of darkness all around._

_She knows that if she gets to him, everything would be alright._

_He'd take care of her._

_Repair her broken wings._

_Make the pain stop._

_Arms wrap around her waist ._

_And she looks up into eyes that are once again green…_

_Eyes she once loved._

_The ones she knows aren't real._

_But even so she hesitates to break away…_

_Glacial blue eyes flash as __Draco__ turned and left._

_The arms grew paler…_

_Eyes once again red.___

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Hermione awoke with a scream lodged in her throat.

She didn't realize she was crying until she felt hot tears raining down her cheeks.

Hermione sighed.

They were starting again…

The nightmares.

This one had been different though…

The dreams she had had before were merely a confusing jumble of vague images and sensations.

All she had awoken with after those dreams had been an overwhelming terror and sadness and…need.

But this had been so…real.

She looked down at the pile of blankets at the foot of the bed.

Must have kicked them off during her aim at escape in neverneverland.

She pillowed her clammy forehead in her arms and took deep, slow breaths.

She could still see the hate in those red eyes as they met hers.

The entire dream was running like a picture show across the backs of her eyelids.

'I remember the dream…'Hermione thought. 'But what does it mean?'

She'd rather not know. 

She would rather just forget the entire incident.

She didn't want to remember any more.

She had finally been able to walk into a room without expecting Harry to be there, waiting. 

She no longer felt those familiar silver stabs of pain when she remembered their life together.

God damn it! She didn't want to remember!

The meaningless noise coming from the television set finally eased her out of her musing.

Hermione rolled out of bed.

She wouldn't be able to sleep after that.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Draco awoke clammy and afraid.

Of what? 

He did not know. 

But his chest was constricted with terror.

Fear had wrapped cold tendrils around him.

Tying slippery knots of dread in the pit of his stomach.

He ran a hand through damp silver hair.

He swung his feet over the edge of the bed placing them on the green carpet of the guest bedroom.

Draco frowned heavily.

He hated the color green.

Not the color it self, but what it stood for.

Slytherin.

Malfoy.

Tradition. 

His lips curled in a sneer

It was all a load of bull as far as he was concerned.

But it was one of the most important things in his life.

The Malfoy name had meant next to nothing after Lucius, his father, had gotten done with it.

After Narcissa had died while Draco was in his 6th year Lucius had degenerated into a drinking, gambling, wenching, obnoxious, rat. Not that he was any better than before.

He had lost almost all of the Malfoy money; either to the hands of fate (gambling) or to the hands of a wench more then willing to turn a few tricks in return for heavy pay.

It had been Draco who had spent many a sleepless night bent over the books, trying to find a way to keep them afloat.

It had been Draco who had done everything her could to maintain their reputation as a pure blood family.

Draco snorted.

Some family they were.

It had been _Draco_ who had worked his way up the ranks of the Death Eaters so they would have a spot in the new world order.

It had been _Draco_ who had cleaned up his father's messes.

And it had been Draco who had felt the heavy burden of duty fall away as Lucius' life slipped too far away to be called back. 

Five years later Harry committed suicide, and the Dark Lord had triumphed over all.

Such a short time…really, for an entire way of life to die…and a new one reeking of fear to take its place….

….He couldn't sleep like this, while his mind was so busy remembering. 

Busy feeling emotions that weren't his.

But he had a pretty good idea of whose emotions they belonged too.

Draco pulled on a pair of jeans, more for comfort in the empty cold house then for appearance.

He headed out the silver door and turned unerringly left down the monstrous hallway in the direction of his, or for the moment Hermione's, room.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Hermione paced back and forth across the carpet.

She wanted out.

Out of this room.

NOW!

Her foot made sudden contact with a heavy wooden door.

*BANG *

Now of course in the battle of Mr. Door versus Ms. Hermione's toes…

Inevitably the larger, heavier, more **solid** object won.

Which left Hermione in quite a state of pain.

"GOD DAMN IT!" Hermione shouted, hopping around on one foot in a demented polka straight from hell.

Draco paused in front of the door that had just left a sizable bruise on Hermione's foot.

He raised his hand to knock but stopped wisely at the stream of inventive cursing coming form the other side of the door.

It didn't look like she needed any help in the 'being annoyed' department.

Draco snickered.

'I wish I could watch her…' Draco thought, 'Wait…I can!'

Draco whipped out his wand-

(A/N~I wonder where he was keeping it since all he's wearing is a pair of pants. Actually I wonder where all wizards and witches keep their wands, I mean don't you think it would get kind of annoying carrying it around all the time, I wonder why they even need wands. Maybe they have wand sheaths on their wrists or something. Sorry back to the fic)

- "Vida Invalmente" 

Draco deteriorated into mist and slid through the crack between the gleaming wood floor of the hall and the ornate wood door of Hermione's room

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Hermione glared death at the door from her undignified slouch at the foot of the bed.

Well this was great.

She was locked inside of a room so luxuriously appointed she could have been in a palace.

But it may as well have a been a dungeon cell.

She couldn't sleep and late night/early morning TV shows were as awful as she remembered.

Ugh.

Hermione's face lit up.

BOOKS!

Weren't they always the answer?

Hermione leaped off the bed…and sat back down as her entire body screamed in protest.

Hermione frowned.

She had almost forgotten.

Forgotten what had been done to her.

She stared at the newest cut across her left split palm, eyes wandering towards the tracery of scabs and scars marring her arms from her wrists to where they disappeared inside the arm of her robe. Standing up slowly she walked to the bathroom, unaware of the cloud of mist that followed her.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Draco drifted along after Hermione.

'What's she doing?' Draco thought.

He had watched the play of emotions that had race across her face while she sat on the edge of his bed.

First the glare of death she had directed at the door, that, from what he had gathered, she hated for the fact it hurt her foot when she had kicked it.

Women, go figure.

Then boredom…and a bit of restlessness.

Then an eagerness more often seen in four year olds then in twenty two year olds…

Then when she had sat back down on his bed, incapable of moving to suddenly because of her injuries, anger, at Voldemort, himself, herself, or just the world in general

He was sorry for that

Sorry that she was hurt

Sorry that she had to feel such emotions

But the next one the one he had seen play across her face in the dim lighting of the room pulled at his heart.

Sadness

A weary acceptance

As she looked at her palm

Had what Voldemort done to her in that dungeon left more scars then just the physical?

Had what he'd done scarred her?

Then she had moved, as carefully and slowly as an old woman, across the room to the bathroom

Draco concentration focused in on Hermione as she stood in front of the mirror

_'What is she doing?'_ Draco thought again

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Hermione leaned over the blue marble counter tops as stared in the mirror

Something she had avoided doing in the last three days she had been confined to the room

Large blue eyes met large blue eyes

Hermione drank in the sight of a face she hadn't seen in months

_'To skinny'_ Hermione thought

Tracing the jutting edge of her cheek bones with slim graceful fingers.

_'And pale'_ Hermione leaned back a little. The freckles that had been the bane of her existence (besides her hair and teeth and … oh never mind) when she was younger had faded until they looked like light dusting of gold flecks across the bridge of her nose and the tops of her cheeks. The creamy skin was marred only by a large bruise on the side of her face.

**'Really, really pale' Hermione thought 'But other then that I am the same. Plain ****Jane**** and all that rot' Hermione grimaced. What did she expect?**

It wasn't as if she'd gotten plastic surgery done while she was hopping from cell to cell.

Fists and whips didn't make a girl a beauty

Not when they were born plain

Her face was really nothing new

Hermione's eyes drifted back to the scabs and scars tracing up her arm.

Let's see what _was_ new.

The sapphire robe dropped to the floor

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

If Draco had had a mouth at the moment it would have dropped to the floor to join the robe

His eyes would have popped out of his head and it all would have been very amusing

Draco was very lucky he was in a state of mist. Because the sight of Hermione would have made his physical form very…um…**_uncomfortable_**

Draco regained control of himself and thought, not very eloquently,

_'What the hell is she doing!?' _

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Hermione stared at her body

Ugh

She looked like a stick

What ever figure she had had _before_ being captured in America and taken to England had disappeared from lack of food.

She could count her ribs

Her pelvis bones stuck out 

Ugh squared

That's disgusting

Hermione always had been stick skinny

But never this skinny

It really was wrong

She looked like she had suffered from a wasting sickness

Or like she hadn't eaten well in months

Which she had

She ate only enough to stay alive

Which 

She found out

Apparently wasn't very much

At least according to several different dungeon masters

Draco was studying Hermione also (bad Draco! Bad Author! Oh well didn't I tell you he would get a peek?)

Once he had gotten over his original shock he noticed the details he had missed initially

The pallor across her once golden skin

Skinny where she had before been slim

And then the scars

In the shadowy lighting of Hogwarts he had seen some of the scars and scabs, but not all.

He had seen the delicate tracery of healed lash marks that twisted up from wrist to shoulder

The bruises and shallow slice on her legs

But her back. 

Her back was a mass of lash marks some still trickling blood

As he watched Hermione turned around but her eyes stayed focused on the mirror now behind her

Her face scrunched up in a grimace

No wonder her back hurt

You think her last master could have gone a little easier with the whip

But the thing she had done to be whipped was also the thing that got her out of that house hold

So she was happy with that

She should probably do something to keep them from getting infected

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

_'She's not going to be able to do much to help her back by herself' _Draco thought as he watched_ 'I'll help'_

Draco drifted out of the bathroom and back under the door into the hallway

"_Vida__Invidamento__" _Draco coalesced from the shadows and turned to Hermione's door, as he turned to knock on the door a searing pain shot across his back, he bit his lip to keep from crying out. 

What the hell had Hermione done to herself?

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Hermione bit her lip until the point where it almost bled

She stared at the bottle of iodine she had just dumped over her shoulder onto her back

Her pain numbed mind could think only one thing

'Stupid'

She wasn't into the pain faze yet because the human body does a wonderful thing

It makes things go numb

Now if only her emotions would do that

She shrugged on her robe right as the door to the bathroom burst open

"AAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH PERVERT!"

* CRACK *

Hermione's fist connected solidly with Draco's cheek leaving a vivid red mark on his cheek

Draco face stayed frozen his head tilted to the left

"What did you do that for?" Draco asked from the awkward angle

"You…You walked in on me while I was naked!" Hermione screeched

"You had a robe on" Draco pointed out as he straightened his head "Plus you don't have anything I really wanted to see" Draco lied

Draco rubbed his cheek

"Can't you ever slap like a normal girl?" Draco queried

"Apparently not" Hermione said sarcastically as she tied the belt of her robe more securely

"You could at least be a little nicer I came here to help you." Draco complained 

"Help me?" Hermione queried "How so?"

"With your back" Draco said in a matter of fact voice 

Hermione's face went blank

"My back?"

"Don't play stupid it's hurting like a bitch right now. I know. I can feel it."

Hermione blinked "You can feel it?" she said incredulously 

Draco rolled his eyes

Hermione had never been stupid or slow 

So why was she acting like that now?

"The blood bonding" Draco stated

Hermione's blank look grew blanker

"I can feel what you feel sometimes" Draco elaborated

"Um…sure" Hermione was still staring at Draco blankly

Draco sighed

"When Voldemort blood bonded us it wasn't just for show, we're actually bound. Our spirits are. Anything you can feel I can. It comes through particularly strong with emotions. Physical pain it's more of an echo of your pain. But I can feel it."

(A/N~ I know you hate it when I interrupt the story but…I had to. This is more of an explanation of what happened. Draco and the big V will elaborate on it more…Hermione's in the dark just like all of you and uh…me! J)

"So how come I can't feel yours?" Hermione asked skeptically 

Draco rolled his eyes. 

Why was Hermione acting like such a ditz?

"You could if you concentrate. But right now you're going through a lot" At this Draco sneered "and your emotions and my emotions get confused."

Hermione's look of confusion melted away leaving one of weary acceptance.

"Oh" Hermione said in a flat voice

Draco stared at her what brought that on? "What's the matter with you" he asked

Hermione's eyes flashed in annoyance "What the hell do you expect me to say?" she asked in a dangerously low voice

_'uh-oh' _Draco thought as he stared at the tiny woman in front of him who was advancing with slow even steps, her eyes spitting fire.

"What's the matter with me?!" Hermione queried 

Her voice still dangerously low but rising steadily 

"What's the matter with me?!" Her voice rose with each word

"I'll tell you what's the matter with me!" Hermione fairly shouted "Everything I know and love is GONE! I've been working in other people's mansions "she spat the last word out "and generally being treated like CRAP! How do you think I should act? Should I be happy about the fact that I work for **_you_**?" She stabbed her finger into his chest to emphasize the last word "I suppose it is better then living in a DUNGEON! A dungeon complete with its own rat population and dank walls. Scenic view of rusty bars. It was bloody great! I really love the part where the dungeon master would whip me! It was even better when he used his fists!" Her voice was dripping so much sarcasm Draco was surprised he wasn't soaking wet "oh, oh and that's not even the best of it! Your creepy master kept staring at me the entire 24 hours I was in his dungeon like a particularly tasty ice cream cone on a boiling hot day. And those stupid dreams have started again and---

Draco interrupted "What dreams?"

Hermione sputtered to a stop and then turned an interesting crimson color "Nothing" she said quickly

Draco frowned

Hm

Hermione cleared her throat "Right so anyways and now I'm locked in this room. I've been in here for three days! When are you planning on letting me out?" 

Draco's frown deepened 

Let her out?

Looking at her now it really didn't seem like the best idea

"Well…um" Draco stuttered

Hermione's eyes bored into his

"You _are _planning to let me out…right?" She said dangerously

On second thought letting her out might be the wisest course of action

Draco recovered quickly "Of course I'm planning on letting you out…just not right now"

Hermione's face flushed in anger "And why is that?"

Draco's mind fumbled for an answer 

Ummmmm

Wait…what was he doing?

He was lord and master here not Granger

"Look luv, you're really in no condition to leave the grounds. And I have no intention of letting you leave this house for quite a long while…I don't' like the way Voldemort looks at you either"

'Luv?' 

It was Draco's turn to advance on Hermione

"Don't' you get it your mine" (A/N~ barf bags at the ready) Draco took another step until Hermione was pinned against the bathroom wall. 

Hermione winced

She could feel her back again

And it wasn't' to much fun

Draco's lips came down on her ear where he nibbled gently

"I'm not letting you go." He whispered into her ear

His lips trailed across her face to her lips

Hermione forgot her back

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Voldemort flipped idly through the dusty tome in front of him with a graceful flick of his wrist to turn the pages.

He knew it was in here somewhere

Barf

Basting

Bats

He flipped the pages

Ah here it was

Bringing People Back From the Dead

He frowned

This was going to be harder then it thought

But he thought back to what he had just seen in his crystal all

His face stretched back into a grin

But it would be worth it

(A/N) I GOT INTO HIGH TECH INTERNATIONAL! WOOHOO!!!!!! Aren't you folks proud of me? 

Hermione:… YOU VOYUER!!!!!! *****socks Draco in the nose *

Draco: * holding bloody nose* what did you do that for bitch! I mean it wasn't as if I liked looking at you! You've got nothing up front

Hermione: I DO SO! The author just made me skinny in this chapter because your ass hole master and friends STARVED ME!

Draco: Whine whine whine.

Hermione: OOOOOOOHHHHH

OA: * restrains Hermione* NOW NOW NOW CHILDREN FIGHTING _IS_FLIRTING

Hermione: * performs a move more commonly seen in the MATRIX to crappy fan fics kicks the poor author in the nose*

Draco: * performs triple back flip/ spiny thingy and nocks author unconscious

OA: please…review *author dies* 

Hermione/Draco: *obeying author's last request* PLEASE REVIEW…FOR US!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  
  
 


	6. Chapter 6:Control

**Disclaimer**: author lying in hospital bed bloody and beat up in a full body cast a-apparently I d-d-don't own H-h-h-harry pppp-potter…or D-draco. But…I w-ill k-keep him in my c-c-closet. D-damn y-you JK R-rowling's l-l-lawyer!

****

**ETC: **This creepy guy on aim has talked to me twice. His screen name is Tmac4magic1 and he has talked to me and two of my friends (both girls) and none of us have any ideas how he got our screen names. He asked one of my friends out (she has no idea who he is) asked me if I were a girl, and said nasty, perverted stuff to my other friend (she blocked him) see I did have him blocked but I un blocked him because I wanted to find out who he was. He told on of my friends he was a 10th grader named Curtis. I'll just have to find out.

Megan: Thanks for always reviewing sweetie pie

Sparkle3: I can't be that bad because…I'm a good girl cough cough but that's okay. There will be some TASTEFUL Hermione and Draco scenes

In Dreams: I am sorry I died to. No you didn't review the last chapter. Or you did and ff.net deleted it because it's a bum. Kisses keep reviewing

Haystack8190: I like that part to. Kiss kiss you bet I will

Cruel-Intentions: wow… that was confusing! YOU CAN"T HAVE DRACO HE IS MINE!!!!!!!!!!!

Gentle snoring, gentle. It's kind of soothing actually. Very rhythmic. I write notes to myself as I read to. J Its fuuuuun

Tennisplaya278: poor Hermione? She has got Draco all to herself. She is one lucky biznatch.

Denise Simpson: Yes that was you…you have to guess who he is going to bring back. The dream didn't help you?

HielovesBotan: I am happy you enjoyed it

Vicky: I do LOVE being unique. If you have the time could you review my first four chapters to please? I like it when it says I have lots of reviews. IT MAKES ME HAPPY!

Thekidwonder: thank you

Ginny Weasly: thank you very much. Update I shall

Hotpinkflamingo: Don't feel bad. If you looked at the reviews yours didn't show up for chapter four. (I don't think) ff.net ate eight of my reviews. They got sent to my email address but never showed up on the Internet. L It was terrible. Awful, horrendous. But I mentioned you in this one.

Dracos-DAMNsexy27: I was hoping for very emotional. GOD DAMN IT! No matter what I do people always mention Hermione's eyes. I allowed my self some artistic freedom and made them blue. Sorry I'm not mad at you. I love you. You reviewed hugs It's just a whole bunch of my reviews are like "Hermione's eyes are brown" gr I know. Once again hugs

Chillkat: Thank you very much.

DarkAngelB: wow Sally…that was really random. I love you to. Horny? I thought it was kind of sweet. I'm sorry about your shirt. I have some stain out you can use if you want.

Soul-Dead-Dragon: I like can't wait for more reviews so…you be sure to review a lot!

Ashley: Welcome back my faithful reviewer. I am more then pleased to email you when a new chapter comes. I'm always grounded I work on my stories at school… I MEAN I DON"T GO ON THE COMPUTERS REALLY MOM!!!!!

Heavengurl899: you didn't?

Fcuking cathy: I'm happy you enjoyed it

Shedraconis: Thank you very much but if you review every chapter I get a pretty number. All those reviews make me sooooo happy. I'm glad you liked it.

ShortStuff10: YOU DON"T KNOW?!?!?!?!?!?!?! Oh well you'll find out. I'm going to draw it out to make more chapters so…you're going to have to wait. When are you going to update?

My Slytherin Prince: OMG I read your stories THEY ARE AWESOME…but Hermione is such a slut! Sorry had to get that out of the way. How do you read harry fics and not read about Voldemort? Oh well. I liked the blood binding thing to. I was on a sugar high and hadn't had any sleep in like three days and was kind of hallucinating and it came to me!

'Chapter Six: Control

No temptation can gravitate to a man unless there is that is his heart which is capable of responding to it"

**_-- JamesAllen_**

'

Hermione's eyes drooped closed as Draco took the kiss deeper

As her perception narrowed down to where she and Malfoy met

Lips meeting lips

Thigh brushing thigh

Hermione's hands on his muscled chest

Where she had placed them to push him away

But she lost will power

And any capability to protest

Or string a few words together to form a comprehensible sentence

Hell she had degenerated into a…a…a something

Something that wasn't Hermione

Hermione would have been able to find a word to describe herself if she had been…well… herself

And so her hands just sat there

Hovering not quite sure what to do

What was she doing?

It was Draco…MALFOY!

'I don't care who it is…it feels so good' a traitorous voice spoke in the back of Hermione's mind

Harry had never kissed like that

Harry!

Hermione's eyes snapped open

Wasn't she betraying his memory?

Kissing the enemy?

She shoved Draco away with a forceful push

…

Or she tried to

He hardly budged an inch

She wondered again how he had gotten so strong

But it was far enough away that his lips were no longer on hers

He wrapped his hands around Hermione's delicate wrists, keeping them trapped against his

chest

"Don't touch me Malfoy!" Hermione said tightly.

Draco gave her a genuinely puzzled look

"But…you didn't mind me touching you a few moments ago"

Hermione gave what sounded to be perilously close to a growl and tried to jerk her wrists from

his grip.

She failed

Her hands were still firmly pressed against his _gulp _naked chest

It was kind of hard to concentrate when she had a half naked man pressed against her

'I don't mind' the voice whispered

GACK!

Bad Hermione

Bad Girl

If she could have moved her hands from where Draco held them

She would have slapped herself

If she kept thinking like that she was going to kiss him again

'Not that I would mind' the little voice sighed dreamily

Hermione almost sighed to

It HAD been a good kiss

Hermione shook her head.

What was she thinking?

It was MALFOY

Hermione squeezed her eyes shut

Ferret boy

The bane of her existence

The skinny, pale, rat faced, ass hole

'Whatever he was…he sure is a good kisser'

Shut up!

'Way better then Harry…and you know it!'

SHUT UP!

Draco's POV

Draco watched all the different emotions flit across Hermione's face

Could FEEL the emotions

All the ones chasing across her face

'Such a pretty face'

Draco merely sighed

HE had gotten used to the little voice in his head a long time ago

He had also gotten good at ignoring it

Except when it came to Hermione

He always had trouble controlling every aspect of himself when it came to Hermione

it was harder to lie

'But you did any ways'

He had had to lie to her

'No you didn't'

It was hard to hurt her…no almost impossible

'But you did that to.'

Draco squeezed his eyes shut

It had been necessary

'You could have explained to her why?'

Why?

Why had he done those things?

To help her

'Help her how? By emotionally scaring her?'

To save her

'Save her from what? YOU?

To protect her

'The only thing she needs protection from is you!'

Draco opened his eyes on that thought

Yes even from him

Emotions tended to cloud judgment

No matter how old those emotions were

He knew for a fact

For he had loved Hermione for a very long time now

Hermione and Draco opened their eyes at the same moment.

Draco's determined and Hermione's flashing with anger

Then Draco did something that surprised Hermione

He stepped back

Away from her

"I'm sorry" Draco said slowly "I shouldn't have done that"

Hermione's jaw hit the gleaming blue tiles of the bathroom

Had Draco just apologized?

To her?

She continued to stare even when Draco began to shift from foot to foot awkwardly

"What?" she finally managed

Draco gave her a cross look

"I said I was sorry. I didn't come here to start another fight…I came to help with your back" He

gestured

Hermione picked her jaw up off the floor and gave a little "humph" That said clearly 'I don't believe that'

Draco's eyes flashed…what an ungrateful wench

"Look I said I was sorry now do you want my help with the back or not?" Draco asked

impatiently

Hermione's POV

Hermione bit her lip

]Did she really want him touching her?

Again?

'Oh yes' the little voice returned

The part of Hermione that was thinking clearly winced noticeably

She didn't want his to touch her really

Really

And…

It wasn't as if she had reacted to the kiss or anything

So would it matter if he touched her?

'Liar! You kissed him back' the little voice said crossly

No I didn't

Really

I'll prove it

"Fine" Hermione said "I already cleaned it. So all I need you help with is the bandaging"

Hermione spoke briskly

"Fine" Draco echoed He made a little circle motion with his hand

"Turn around" he said "and I'll bandage it"

Hermione grunted but complied

Voldemort smile, a slow evil grin that contorted his already horrific face into something that

could launch a thousand ships…in the opposite direction.

He watched Hermione and Draco through the scrying bowl in his office

His very luxuriously appointed office

Just because he looked like a monster didn't mean he had to live in a cave

And he didn't

He had always lusted for riches and power

His gregarious nature had made his modest parents flinch

His modest, working parents

His lips curled in disgust

Mudbloods

Just like the girl

He would destroy her

Just like he had destroyed his parents

His grin grew at the thought

The sight of his parents faces just before he had killed them

His first victims

That was when he realized what he truly wanted out of this life

The power to control

The power to hold another person's life in your hands, and then snuff it out, like you would a

candle

Quickly and efficiently

Oh occasionally he took the time to kill for pleasure

But he hadn't for a while

He only did that when he had a worthy target

He had wanted to do that to Harry

The boy who had defeated him

The boy that had made his first attempt to conquer the wizarding world fail

But Harry himself had taken that pleasure away from him

Even in his death Harry would spite Voldemort

Voldemort's lip curled

Well it was a good thing he had killed himself

It would make him that much easier to bring back

And he would bring him back

For once again he had a worthy target

One he would go to any lengths to capture…

Hermione

There was just one problem

And that problem's name was Draco

Draco loved Hermione

But Voldemort had a plan

Draco bit his lip

This was harder then he thought it would be

Being near her

Touching her

…

Even if it was just his magic

He stood a good yard away from Hermione

He didn't trust himself near her

Hell, the way it was going he wasn't going to be able to trust himself in the same room as her

No, the same country

Draco shook his head and continued the graceful circle motions his wand was making as he

carefully wrapped the white gauze around her back

What was he thinking?

He could control himself

Or could he?

Could he control the half of himself that he had let loose on Hermione in the Dungeon at

Hogwarts?

The half of him where the line between love and hate was so blurred it was non-existent?

He finished bandaging Hermione's back and with a swish and flick he secured the end inside

the overlapping lengths of cloth

Hermione shrugged the robe on over her shoulders, tied the sash, turned and met Draco's eyes

Blue blue eyes

Piercing

And glacier cool

The color of ice

And just as hard

'_What is he thinking?' _Hermione wondered

"Thank you" Hermione's voice was stiff and every bit as cold as Draco's eyes

Draco inclined his head "You're welcome"

Draco's eyes warmed up "So, how bout a kiss?"

Hermione blinked

Then her face flamed up in anger

"YOU CREEP!"

Draco smiled inwardly

He liked it better when she was yelling at him

He had the plan

Now all that had to happen was for it to be implemented

There was just one flaw in his plan

When he brought Harry back from the other realm

He would be himself again,

He would not be Voldemort's puppet

Voldemort's forehead wrinkled as he puzzled through that

Then Voldemort's sinister grin was back (A/N- The one we know and love)

But what if he could get Harry to do what he wanted…get him to follow his orders of his own

free will

And he knew exactly what buttons to push

A/N- forgive me…this chapter was so short and had so little really going on dodges rotten

tomatoes But you did get some (kinda) Hermione/ Draco action. And there was some very

important plot development going on. I was surprised when so may people said they didn't know

who Voldie was going to bring back. So I told you at least 4 times who he was going to bring

back…and in case you didn't get it. IT'S HARRY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hermione: OHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH YOU'RE BRINGING HARRY BACK! I KNEW YOU

WOULDN'T LET THIS DISGUSTING PERVERT KEEP ME! OH HARRY MY LOVE. grabs

author by collar He IS coming back right?

O/A: O-o-o-of course Hermione

Draco: groans what kind of sicko are you? We finally get rid of him and you bring him back!

O/A: Don't worry Draco I won't let him get in the way of you and Hermione

Hermione: turns and gives author THE LOOK

O/A: gulps I am in need of some serious help if I let figments of my imagination pick on me and

boss me around. squares shoulders and looks determined

Hermione: You mean figments of JK Rowling's imagination don't you? Or didn't those beefy

lawyers teach you anything?

O/A: shoulders droop and author shudders Oh ya…JK Rowling's imagination. Hehehe

Draco: snickers you are such a coward

O/A: Shut up…I got to stay alive if you guys want some more kiss scenes

Hermione/Draco: WE DON"T!!!!!!!!!!!!

O/A: Oh come on! You know you like it!

Hermione/ Draco: growl and put author into the blender WHIIIIIIIIIIIIIRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

In the Next Chapter: I finally have a plot line so I can do this…MWAHAHAHAHAHAHAAH clears throat so anyway. Harry comes back from the dead and maybe Draco and Hermione start to trust each other.


	7. Chapter 7: Trust

**IMPORTAND READ THIS!!!!!: **Okay something is going wrong when I upload my story. It is deleting the breaks I put in to separate Points of View. This happened the first time I uploaded this story and with chapter six. It is really annoying but try to bear with me. I'm trying to fix it.

****

**To the Reviewers: **I love you all sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo much! You have no idea how happy you make me I mean ****sniffles when you review it's like saying you love me and that makes me SOOOOO HAPPY!!!!!!!! Huggles all the reviewers.

Ginny Weasly: Thank you very much I plan to

ShortStuff10: I'll try and review but the teachers are really cracking down on us cus it's the end of the year. groans I hate hate hate school. I can hardly think. Ugh

Hotpinkflamingo: No worries my brain is frazzled also.

Soul-Dead-Dragon: Hey. I'm sorry for emailing you after you already reviewed. Hehehe my brain is DEAD!!!!!!!!!! I don't like Harry so he is dead. I am going to write him in a way so YOU won't like him either. MWAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA falls asleep face first in pudding…again

Cruel-intentions: no I don't think that was any less confizzlefieing then the last review but you make me happy smiles weakly I love you and your long confusing reviews. Keep up the good work. Ya the switching back in forth is confusing…but so am I. Voices...so many voices.

Cereza: Thank you for your continued support in these trying times bows head in thanks I am sleepy

Austin: Hey. Don't be lazy REVIEW! And don't you mean your trying NOT to procrastinate? Cus you said I'm trying to procrastinate and that would mean you were putting it off. So…ya thank you for the review. I resent the fact that you think Draco is being nice (just kidding…but really) I think he is a sexy blond bad boy who really really needs a leather jacket and some silver jewelry smiles all girls school huh? Must suck. Almost in the same boat…except there are guys…but they are all really, really gross and nasty.

Alcapacien: The only reason I'm not rushing them is because I can't figure out how to get them to like each other. Hehehe

DarkAngelB: what does Salster mean? …wait I don't want to know. Peter Pan stories sound like fun. Maybe I'll write one when I get off my Harry Potter Jag…no one seems to like my InuYasha fictions so I'll just abandon that. I love you to baby. The only reason it took so long to post was because my stupid floppy disk got corrupted. Luv ya

Eriador: I guess it was supposed to be funny. But nobody ever gets my jokes…but you did so happy and excited

LiBlackDragon: I know he grew up in an orphanage. I am allowing myself some creative license. And maybe the fact that he killed his parents and grew up in an orphanage plays a big part in this story GACK said to much tapes mouth closed mwsh mnthy

Desirae: Ya it was confusing…and short I am going to fix the confusing part but there is not much I can do about the short. Love you. Ta ta

Tennisplaya278: of course I'm right…I'm always right (just kidding) MWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA . No you can't have Draco, HE'S MINE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

ColonelCrazee: In case you didn't get it Kenneth my story got deleted and I had to redo it. There was some minor plot development but I am lazy and didn't feel like redoing the entire story. That's okay though, I love you even though you're completely oblivious

Shedraconis: I know I'm insane gives evil chuckle back

Chapter Seven: Trust

_To be trusted is a greater compliment than to be loved._

_George__MacDonald___

Voldemort's POV 

What if he could get Harry to take Hermione back completely on his own free will?

To follow his orders but still be himself

Voldemort's eyes narrowed glinting red in the small amount of moonlight he allowed in his study through the thick red drapes

All it would take would be a little…_persuasion_

…and a lot of planning

------------------------------------------------------------- 

When was he going to let her out?

Let her out of this damn-room-become-prison

Hermione sent a death glare at the door

She'd been in here damn near two weeks.

She growled

And Draco hadn't been back since he had bandaged her back

Since they had kissed

I mean she knew she wasn't that great of a kisser but she wasn't bad enough to drive somebody away for weeks at a time.

I mean her kissing could even be considered passably good under certain circumstances.

Granted Harry had never really said anything about her kissing…well at least nothing good anyways

But was that really her fault?

I mean Draco was the one that kissed her

It wasn't as if she had thrown herself at him or anything like that!

And if he didn't like the way she kissed then that was his problem

He didn't have to kiss her

'Besides' Hermione thought grumpily '_I _thought it was a good kiss'

'From a completely unbiased stand point! I mean I would have thought it was a good kiss if it was with anyone!' Hermione added

Hermione stopped mid stride and growled

She was doing it again

Second guessing herself

She really needed to be more decisive

Hermione growled again

She _was_ decisive…or she had been before Voldemort took over

She had very realistic goals, modest ones even

But nooooooo it couldn't just stay like that

Some evil dark force had to ruin it for her

Well she would practice being decisive _after_ she got out of this stinking room

Hermione sat down on the bed and began to plan

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Draco paced from one end of his downstairs study to the other

Why was he so fidgety?

He should be perfectly content

He should be perfectly capable of settling down in that big leather chair behind that big oak desk and working on the books

He should have been

But he wasn't

And he did know why

It was because no matter how hard he tried to concentrate his mind wandered back to Hermione.

Or was it the guilt?

Maybe both

He sat down heavily in the chair

Really you'd think that being a full fledged Slytherin and having been a death eater for some time he'd have been able to get over the whole conscious thing.

Honestly he was a scupeless killer devoid of morals and values

Draco snorted

Bull shit

But as long as everybody else believed he was safe

Draco pillowed his head in hands

Keeping Hermione here was a bad idea

What had he been thinking?

He couldn't trust her out of the room

But leaving her locked up in the room wasn't fair

To her and to him

If only he could trust her

Or if she could trust him

It would make things so much easier

But how could she

How could she trust him?

By his own admission she believed he hated her

And why wouldn't she?

Why wouldn't she believe that he hated her?

The mask he put on in front of her was perfect

He had to make her trust him

Somehow

Draco looked up towards the ceiling

And the first step would be to let her out of that room

But he definitely wasn't going to let her out of his sight

Perhaps a nice voyeur like spell cast on her would be in order

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hermione eyed the tasteful silver candelabra that adorned the wall with consideration

That might work but if it did get Draco's attention she didn't want to be in a robe when she finally confronted him.

Heading into the enormous walk in closet she headed over to where the boxers lay in neat rows and pulled them on over her hips then she reached over and pulled a silk dress shirt on over her head and then walked back out into the bedroom.

Shrugging her shoulders she wrapped her hands around it firmly and pulled with all her might.

It didn't budge and she stumbled back a step

Pushing her hair out of her face she aimed a perturbed look at the offending item

What she wouldn't give for a wand!

I mean you'd think after years of lugging heavy books around from class to class she'd be a whole helluva lot stronger.

Hermione again took the candelabra into a tight grasp but this time bracing her feet against the wall she gave a tremendous heave, pushing with her legs and pulling with her arms.

With a deafening CRACK the plaster in the wall gave way as the candelabra was ripped from the wall scattering white rubble everywhere.

Hermione flew back and landed with a THUMP on her rear

Hermione stood up rubbing the offended part of her body and eyed her prize with a grin.

If Draco did come back, she'd be ready.

Draco's head snapped up as the CRACK of the candelabra being ripped out of the wall reached his ears

"What the--?"

And then he was gone running up the stairs towards Hermione's room

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hermione heard the pounding footsteps and took her position next to the door, and when it burst open she hefted the candelabra and brought it down on to Draco's head.

Draco staggered a step and then sank slowly to his knees, but he did not, as Hermione had expected, pass out.

Instead he checked the back of his head and stared at it when it came back bloody.

"You bitch!" he said as he reached for his wand "I'll teach you to mess with Draco Malfoy"

Hermione gulped and without another thought dove on him trying to wrestle the wand out of his surprisingly strong grip.

After a brief scuffle and a smatter of rather vehement cursing Hermione ended up sitting on Draco's chest with the wand she had ripped from his grip pointed squarely between his eyes.

Pushing her ginger color hair over her shoulder she grinned down at Draco's perturbed face.

"Well" she said "that worked surprisingly well"

"The only reason you got this far is because you caught me by surprise" Draco grumbled

"Sure" Hermione said, sarcasm dripping from her voice "Now. Back to business. Give me one good reason why I shouldn't kill you and escape from this manor?"

Draco sighed "One, why would you want to kill me? Two, you _can't_ kill me. Three, you can't escape from this manor."

Hermione's face grew redder and redder as Draco spoke "One," she said through gritted teeth "you kept me locked up in here for weeks. WEEKS! Two, I sure as hell can kill you and three, why the hell can I not escape from this manor?"

As she spoke Hermione made the fatal mistake of moving the wand in her hand away from where it was pointed. Draco, seeing she was distracted took advantage of it and flipped their positions so that he was on the top and she was on the bottom. With his one hand holding both her hands over her head and the other one holding the wand he had just snatched.

"I always did like being on the top" Draco grinned

Hermione shrieked and tried to knee him which he blocked by shifting his legs.

To keep Hermione from damaging anything he needed he pinned her legs with his.

"Damn it!" Hermione mumbled

Draco just kept grinning

Hermione stared at him

"Why are you smiling? I probably just gave you a concussion" Hermione pointed out

Draco's smile grew

"I haven't forgotten about that" He said "But I've been waiting a while to get you on your back"

Hermione reared up, ripping her hands from his grip and nailed him across the face with a solid fist.

Taking advantage of his surprise she once again stole the wand from Draco's grip

"You are such a pervert!" She spat at him

"And you need to have a little bit more faith in people" Draco said right back

Hermione blinked but this time kept the want trained on Draco's head

"What does my lack of faith have to do with you being a pervert?" Hermione asked skeptically

"Nothing" Draco replied and then right as she looked as if she was going to punch him he said "but it does have something to do with why you're sitting on my chest holding me at wand point, in my boxers and my favorite silk dress shirt."

Hermione look puzzled "I don't get it, the reason I'm holding you at wand point is so I can get out and I'm wearing your clothes because all you gave me was a robe."

"But" Draco said "it's the lack of trust that brought us here." His face took on a look of concentration." I didn't trust you to stay with me so I blood bonded you, locked you in my room and didn't give you any clothes. You on the other hand didn't trust me enough to take care of you and whacked me with a…" turning his head he looked at the fallen candelabra off to the side "silver candelabra" he said

Hermione glared at him.

"You honestly expect me to trust you? I mean you hate me. Why should I trust someone who hates me?"

Draco stared at her.

She though he hated her. She didn't say anything about her hating him.

He should try.

Try to make things right

"I don't hate you" Draco said quietly "I care about you quite a lot" he said looking very uncomfortable.

Or that could have been just the fact that Hermione was sitting on him and as small as she was it did tend to become uncomfortable after a while.

Although Hermione was looking every bit as uncomfortable and no one was sitting on top of her.

"Come off it Malfoy. You don't like me at all. You make it quite clear every time I talk to you." Hermione stated "and" she continued "if this is another one of your sick games I'll curse you into oblivion"

Draco gave a hurried glance at the wand.

"Look" Malfoy said calmly "I don't hate you and I want to let you out of this room." At Hermione's skeptical glance he continued "but, neither one of us can trust the others motives, and I don't think it would make the most fun of circumstances."

At Hermione's still skeptical look he elaborated "I'm proposing a truth. We both put a little more faith in each other. I'll let you out of this room and you won't knock me over the head with anymore blunt objects, deal?"

Hermione wasn't sure what made her agree

But somewhere deep inside her she knew he was telling her the truth.

Maybe it was the blood bonding

But she knew that she could rely on him.

"Fine" she said

And rolled off of Draco onto her feet.

Hermione walked resolutely towards the door and stood there expectantly

Draco rose gracefully to his feet and Hermione never would have guessed that he had a mild concussion except for the fact that she was the one who gave it to him.

Draco walked gracefully across the room to the door.

He reached to open the door but then hesitated and turned to Hermione holding out his hand expectantly.

"What?" Hermione queried

Draco quirked his eyebrow and kept his hand out

"Oh fine!" Hermione exclaimed pulling Draco's wand out of her sleeve and slapping it into his hand.

"Thank you" Draco said sarcasm hinting his words

He unspelled the door and he and Hermione left the room.

Voldemort drew the knife across his wrist and watched as his life blood welled up, a crimson line along his arm.

Twisting his wrist he watched as his blood fell onto the pile of fresh grave dirt

Mumbling under his breath he circled around the yawning mouth of the grave

If his timing wasn't exactly right it would ruin the whole process

Continuing to mumble he crouched next to the grave, spilling more of his blood into the grave.

The grave that held Harry

But not for much longer

A/N: Hey guys! What's up? dodges tomatoes A cliff Hanger I know I know.  I started a new story that you must go read. It's really good. To be honest I am actually giving some serious thought to taking the story down and rewriting it. Tell me whether or not you think I should. REVIEW!

Draco: My god woman! You wrote another one!

OA: Yes I did but you're not the ONLY love interest

Hermione: I hope you didn't make me a slut. You authors are always doing that. One boy kisses me and then in the next chapter I'm running around playing tonsil hockey with every other human with a penis.

OA: erm…no…your not a slut. You just have a lot of guys liking you…and stuff.

Draco: Jeez…maybe it's because you ARE a slut

Hermione: Oh PLEASE! Your just jealous because you didn't get anywhere near me in this chapter!

Draco: What are you talking about! You were all over me!

Hermione: I was trying to get away from you, you wanker!

OA: Hey you guys didn't hurt me this time!

Draco/Hermione: Oh ya drop kick author just for the hell of it

OA: REEEEEVVVVVVIIIIIIIIIIIIEEWWWW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


	8. Chapter 8: Love

**Rambling: **OH MY GOD!!!!!!! I JUST SAW HARRY POTTER AND THE PRISONER OF AZKABAN!!!!! (On a side note, it was very good. Except for some little problems I had with some of the casting, but I will go into that in depth in a moment) DRACO WAS SOOOOOOOO SEXY!!!!! OH MY GOD!!!! I WANT HIM!!!! I WENT TO THE MALL AND WAS LOOKING FOR POSTERS OF HIM BUT I DIDN'T FIND ANY, GOD DAMNIT. SO I WENT TO HOT TOPIC AND BOUGHT A WHOLE BUNCH OF HARRY POTTER SHIRTS. Why am I still yelling? I got this one jacket that is totally cool. It's green with the Slytherin logo on the front and on the back it says seeker. I totally love it. Okay so on to my problems with the cast in HPATPOA it's just I didn't picture Lupin as being so dark. I always saw him as a really tall skinny pale kind of blond guy, and what was up with his moustache. On another note he was a very good actor and the werewolf was awesome! Sirius was good but he only had like ten minuets of screen time which sucked. DRACO IS SEXY!!! Does anybody know the name of the actor that plays him…because I want to stalk him (as long as he keeps his blond hair)

**To the Reviewers:  **Oh how I love you my sweet, sweet reviewers

In Dreams: I rebel against all forms of constriction. Anything that dictates what and when I do something I shall thwart its attempts. Including periods, commas, and any other form of grammatical dictatorship. And clothes runs around buck naked WEEEEEEEEEEEE!

Ginny Wealsy: I love you. You reviewed my other story to! huggles

Haystack8190: I shall

Cruel-intentions: whoa! Slow down. There was only one grave. The doors and windows were spelled shut. Yes she will get clothes. Voldie just wants to kill Hermione and he brought Harry back to get her away from Draco willingly because the blood bonding…CRAP I said too much…again. DAMN YOU WHY MUST YOU MAKE ME GIVE AWAY THE PLOT!

cabby1: Takes chocolate caked and eats SCHLOMP! Yummy

hotpinkflamingo: I like storms O.o Hehehe

wats up?: Gracias

V-queen: EVERYBODY loves the authors notes…I mean how could you not?

TennisNerd23: wow!! Thank you so much…but if you get a bad grade you can't kill me okay? Good. The other story still is a Draco/Hermione Romance but…with some little twists

B: I plan on bravely pressing foreword

MoonlitIcegodess: you didn't score blocks tomato with awesome mind powers MWAHAHAHAHHAHHAH

Angel-dolphin1: Thank you

Shea: Voldie took over because I allowed myself some artistic license…and because I wanted him to. J

DarkAngelB: They did wear robes in the movies, but they didn't have to wear their robes while in Hogsmead. And I told you I didn't want to know where you got the word Salster from! But I love you anyways.

Fionger: Thanks

Cereza: Twisty, twisty, twisty. Heheheh

Mintytoothpick: okay cowers

Lil2far: continuing

dracolegolaslvr87; I'm glad you like them…hehe I'm actually running out of ideas but don't worry it'll all work out.

MEGAN: and I love you!

Nightdweller: I swing the same way

sk8erpunkGCpnay: Long time no…er…read your reviews.

ShortStuff10: I have nothing BUT time so I'm updating lots…I hope.

Chapter Eight: Love

I hold it true, whate'er befall;

I feel it, when I sorrow most;

'Tis better to have loved and lost

Than never to have loved at all.

                          --Alfred Tennyson

Emerald eyes set in a deathly pale face shot open

The mouth opened wide gasping, bringing air into lungs that hadn't been used for months

Dead tissue reanimated it's self

Decaying skin regrew

Skin grew over the holes eaten by the maggots

The hands placed over the heaving chest moved for the first time since their death

Voldemort smiled his red eyes gleaming in the foggy night surrounding the graveyard

Harry was back.

Draco studied Hermione as she descended the stairs in front of him

After living in a home devoid of emotion and having no examples of which to follow' he finally realized what this feeling that rose into his throat and made his stomach flutter every time he looked at Hermione was, it was love.

He, Draco Malfoy, Voldemort's right hand man. Was in love with Hermione Granger the mudblood.

And he could finally admit it.

Smiling, he studied the back of her head taking in new things about her that he had changed since they were in school together.

She was taller and she moved with a confidence she had lacked as a teen.

Walked taller…but that was probably the absence of a hundred pounds of books she had normally lugged around with her back when he knew her.

But he did know her, he knew her now.

Couldn't he feel what she felt?

Couldn't, if he concentrated, see what she saw.

They shared a bond stronger than any existing

Their very souls were bound for all eternity

Her hair, glinting shades of brown, gold, and red, tumbled in riotous curls down her back.

He loved her, loved everything about her, the new and the old, the good and the bad.

And he damn well was going to see to that she was happy.

Happy and safe.

And maybe, maybe she could love him back.

So far they were off to the worst start imaginable but he was going to do everything he could to change her first impression of him.

Hermione walked ahead of Draco down the pushily, green, carpeted stairs and then paused her hand resting on the ornately carved banister.

Tilting her head over her shoulder she stared at Draco as he descended the stairs.

He stopped several steps above her so that she was forced to continue to look up at an uncomfortable angle.

"Yes?" he queried, his voice echoing in the cavernous entryway

Hermione studied him

For a moment she had felt something, something she knew hadn't come from her, a…determination, a determination to do _something_. She shook her head sending her curls swaying.

She was more out of it than she realized.

"Nothing." She said, her voice resonating through the hall

Continuing down the last few steps her bare feet hit the white and green marble tile when she finished her descent. Turning left she headed unerringly in the direction of Draco's office a picture of the cozy room, dominated by the huge desk with a chair behind it she knew she would find comfortable, and an ornately carved fireplace that the house elves always kept stocked with firewood with matches at the ready, and the book shelves that lined every wall except for the one where the door was and in the area the huge picture window was placed on the south wall.

As she reached to turn the gold doorknob that would open the door to the office she hesitated, whirling around to meet Draco's coldly amused blue eyes she asked "How?" her tones urgent "how did I know where your office was, how did I know that was where you wanted to go?"

Draco reached around her and opened the door

"The question and answer session will be held _after_ the lecture." He said stepping into the office leaving Hermione sputtering on the thresh hold

"What exactly is _that_ supposed to mean?" she asked hotly her temple already beginning to boil as she slammed the door to the office.

Crossing across the red carpeting she plunked into one of the softly upholstered chairs across from where Draco sat behind his desk.

Curling her legs under her bottom she settled comfortably back into the chair aiming a glare ripe with anger and questions at Draco.

"Look Malfoy. I'm not in the mood for any of your games, I want you to answer my questions and I want you to do it _now!"_ she said huffily

Draco aimed an innocent look at Hermione "Games? Why Hermione love I would _never_ play games with you!" he said in a hurt tone of voice

Hermione's heart gave a little flutter at the words love and she frowned crossly…stupid heart. Life would be so much easier if it would give it a rest with all the raging emotions.

Hermione glared at him crossing her arms beneath her breasts and drumming her fingers impatiently.

Draco sighed "Very well. You want me to answer your questions, and I will…but only after I'm done talking and I still haven't answered them."

Hermione nodded grumpily

Draco grinned "No need to look like I'm not doing something you enjoy. There's nothing Know-it-all-Granger doesn't love more than a lecture…well excluding reading.

Hermione suppressed the urge to blow a raspberry at him and instead settled for a rude single finger gesture.

Draco smirked "Maybe later darling, when I'm finished talking."

Hermione gasped indignantly "You…! How dare you..! GAHH! YOU ARE INSUFERABLE!" She sputtered

"I try." Draco said with a grin "Now down to business. Most of the questions you have are concerning the topic I wanted to discuss with you in the first place, blood bonding.

"I've mentioned it before when talking to you but I have never sat down and actually explained the whole concept to you from beginning to end" Draco's face took on an involved look as he leaned slightly foreword in his chair to meet Hermione's eyes.

"Blood bonding is an ancient, rarely practiced, ritual that is deeply centered on some of the darker traditions and religious aspects of the wizarding culture. Essentially what Blood Bonding is, is the binding of two peoples souls. When Voldemort first began his quest to rid the world of muggles he sought a way to bind his followers to him, a way to track them, to call them to him, to control them. Voldemort discovered blood bonding in one of his spell books and utilized what he learned. But then Voldemort found that this opened him up to vulnerabilities, when he first performed the ritual he didn't realize it would open him and his emotions up to the people he was blood bonded with."

Hermione interrupted "That's what happened with Voldemort and…Harry. Harry could feel what Voldemort was feeling, but also as he learned later that Voldemort could feel what Harry was feeling."

Draco glared at Hermione "Don't interrupt. But that is a parallel to what I'm saying."

He settled back into his chair and went on "But it helps that you know that. It will make it easier for you to understand his reasoning. He saw anything that revealed his emotions as a weakness, and the Dark Lord does not tolerate weakness, in himself or in others."

He said the last sentence in an ironic turn of voice.

"And what the Dark Lord doesn't tolerate is destroyed" Draco snorted "and there went the first batch of Death Eaters"

Hermione gasped "He killed them?" her voice disbelieving

'_I mean I know he's a murderer…but to kill you own followers?' _

She pursed her lips

What did she expect?

It was Voldemort

How could she expect him to be bound by the same set of morals as she?

He was a cold blooded murder

People that killed millions of muggles with out remorse didn't have morals

Her eyes slid to the handsome blond man behind the desk

But then…didn't that also apply to Draco?

Wasn't Draco Voldemort's right hand man?

Hadn't he led countless attacks on muggles?

Didn't that mean that he was a cold blooded killer?

Didn't that mean that he had no morals?

But if that was true how could he treat her so sweetly?

Be so kind?

Care for her?

Hermione shook her head.

She spent way to much time analyzing Draco as it was

She needed to listen

 Draco ignored Hermione's interruption and leaned back in his chair running a pen idly through his fingers as he continued.

"Yes he killed them. My own uncle among them, Lucius' older brother Anthony."  At Hermione's shocked look he said "You're wondering how I can talk about it so coldly?" Hermione nodded and Draco took a deep breath preparing to show a part of him to her that he had never shown anyone before.

'_Remember Draco you love her' _he reminded himself silently_ 'she needs to know about you…and why you do the things you do'_

 "You see it's expected of a Malfoy to not show emotion. Plus the only thing I remember of him is the time he smacked me for crying after he broke my toy broomstick."

Hermione's mouth dropped open "B-but. What…how…why?" she tried to voice her shock

Draco grinned "We come from very different places you and I Hermione." The words were saturated with regret and the feeling was echoed in Draco, and in turn Hermione.

Hermione grimaced

She really didn't like this whole blood bonding shindig.

"Malfoy's are never really…close. Actually you could say that we are the exact opposite. From birth Malfoy's are groomed to succeed. We have to be the best at everything. We have to have the most money, the biggest house…the most, the most of everything. Life for a single Malfoy heir like myself is…easy…compared to what my father and Anthony were forced to do. They were raised in a constant competition with each other. When Anthony discovered Voldemort he joined immediately, it was something he had that Lucius didn't. Lucius found it rather ironic that in an attempt to beat him Anthony actually died leaving him the only heir to the Malfoy fortune."

Hermione shifted awkwardly in her seat

She couldn't imagine living like that.

But what Draco hadn't said, the things that were flashing through her mind was of his life

She didn't think being the only child of a Malfoy family was easy

The pressure

She could feel it now

All the eyes watching her

All those expectations

The overwhelming fear when Lucius called her into his study

Those cold narrowed blue eyes filled with loathing

Expectations

Hermione came back to the present with a snap

She shook her head trying to clear out the residual

Those weren't her memories

So obviously they were Draco's

No…it wasn't that easy being the sole heir to the Malfoy estate

Not at all

Draco shook his head

They were getting way to off topic and quickly switched back to the original conversation without any notice.

"But even though this first attempt failed Voldemort still craved a way to bind his followers to him, using the blood bonding as a base he built upon it and eventually created the dark mark. Draco rolled up his sleeve and showed her the black mark that marred the beautiful pale skin of his arm

Hermione reached out across the desk and gently traced the mark.

Draco drew away as if burned and rolled his sleeve down over his wrist

"Okay enough with the history lesson and back to the blood bonding" Draco said quickly

"What blood bonding does, as I said before, is it joins two souls together using blood, and an incantation. The souls almost become as one." Draco dropped the pen and ran his hand through his silvery hair distractedly "this is hard to explain…" he closed his eyes and then opened them again "The two souls are joined, they cease to be two souls but are now one entity, so accordingly this would have a strange affect on your physical self. Common with the blood bonding is shared thoughts or memories, being able to feel what the person bonded to you is feeling." Draco said as if reading from a text book.

He grinned the Malfoy grin and said "And that concludes the lecture portion of the program…any questions?"

Hermione's hand shot into the air, a practiced response.

She quickly dropped her hand back into her lap and flushing furiously

Draco snickered "A conditioned response?"

Hermione turned an even darker shade of crimson and ignored Draco's words

Clearing her throat she asked "If what you said about Voldemort's feelings about the blood bonding is true, how come he blood bonded you to me?"

Draco pinched the bridge of his nose with his long fingers.

Sighing he replied "It would be you who would cut right to the heart of the whole matter."

The Dark Lord does see it as a weakness. He offered to blood bond us because he didn't think I would accept. He saw it as another way to demean you, to know that I wouldn't accept. But he miscalculated; he didn't count on me actually caring for you…and l-"Draco cut himself off cursing silently

Maybe she wouldn't catch his slip up

But that of course was too much to hope for

"And what Malfoy? Care about me and what?" she asked hurriedly

It sounded as if he were about to say love

Love?

How could Draco Malfoy, Voldemort's right hand man love her?

It wasn't possible

She was just imagining things.

But Draco still hadn't answered her question

"Well Malfoy?" she queried

Draco cleared his throat "Nothing." He said gruffly

"No you were going to say something I heard you!" Hermione explained

"I said nothing!" Draco said pink rising to his cheeks

What's this?

Draco Malfoy

Blushing?

Was that even possible?

Hermione stared at Draco's pink cheeks "Are you blushing?" she exclaimed

Draco cleared his throat again

"Of course I'm not blushing…that's ridiculous! Me? Blushing? Pshaw! The very idea!"

"You ARE blushing aren't you?"

Even more color suffused Draco's cheeks, turning his pale skin a pale pink

"NO!" Draco shouted his cheeks turning an even darker shade of pink

AN: Okay I found out the actor's name. His name is Tom Felton and he is 16 and really incredibly cute. Turns out I'll have to wait a little before I can get a poster of him from the Prisoner of Azkaban. Poopers, but I did get a whole bunch of his pictures off the internet. squirms YAY!!! Oh and Tom if your reading this I'll marry you! ****cough cough back to the story

Voldemort watched as Harry stood

 The earth walls of his grave crumbling in places as he placed his hands on the lip of the grave and heaved himself out of his prison of earth.

He fell to his knees his hands running back and forth across the cool green grass, damp with dew, as his lungs heaved, unaccustomed to the once familiar motion.

Raising his head his emerald eyes, flashing hate, pain, rage, confusion met Voldemort's crimson ones.

Dragging in air he said "Why…bring…me…back…bastard?" his tongue thick and awkward from disuse

Voldemort smiled baring sharp teeth

"I thought you might want to be around at a time like this." He said in a cold, nasal voice

Harry's green eyes flashed

"I left this place purposely; I didn't want to come back here." He said

"Oh I understand that, I may even understand why you left."

"How could you understand you bastard? You fear death. I accepted it. You could never understand." Harry said bitterly

"I fear nothing not death, not you, not Dumbledore. I fear nothing. While you however fear me. Isn't that why you left? You left because you knew you could never win; you left so you wouldn't have to face your own failure."

Harry's eyes flashed with hate

But he said nothing

It was true wasn't it?

"You wanted to know why I brought you back. You're girlfriend is in trouble Harry."

Harry was on his feet his hands gripping the throat of Voldemort's robes as he pinned Voldemort to his headstone.

"What have you done to Hermione?" he asked softly his eyes flashing and his grip on Voldemort's robes tightening dangerously

Voldemort through his head back and laughed

His maniacal laughter filling the night air

"Potter, Potter **_I_** have done nothing to her." He said coldly

"I don't believe you." Harry said, but his grip on Voldemort's robes loosened slightly

"I haven't harmed a hair on her head." Voldemort lied

"So why is she in trouble?" Harry asked his green eyes cold with hate

Voldemort smirked, he was buying it.

Poor, poor, naïve, gullible, Potter

Well, you know what they say…Idiots make the world go round

"You remember Draco don't you?" Voldemort queried

Harry's lip curled in disgust "I remember the ferret…why?"

"Well Draco has your girlfriend."

Harry's hands fell from Voldemort's robe to his side.

Harry hesitated and then asked, his voice cold and determined

"Where are they?"

"Malfoy Manor."

Harry turned, his cloaks billowing behind him as he strode across the grave yard

And with that Harry was gone

Voldemort once again through his head back laughing

It was so easy

A/N: Hey peeps. Sorry for the short chapter but I've been really busy

Draco: snorts oh come on busy? You're not busy! You've just been procrastinating

OA: ya…but I was busy procrastinating so there fore I was…busy?

Hermione: YAY!!!!! HARRY IS BACK!!!! I NEVER HAVE TO SEE YOU AGAIN FERRET!!!! HARRY WILL COME AND RESCUE ME AND KILL YOU AND WE'LL LIVE HAPPILY EVER AFTER!!!!

OA: er…not exactly

Harry: Hey guys

Hermione: HARRY!!!!! glomps Harry and looks at author accusingly over shoulder what do you mean "not exactly"?

OA: Well…it IS a Draco/Hermione fic

Draco: Why? I mean I obviously don't love her!

Hermione: Oh come on you were so busy saying you loved me in that chapter it was making me nauseous  

Draco: I...I was not…!

Hermione: HA!!! You're blushing again

Draco: turns to author this is all YOUR fault kills author

OA: Ouch…Okay so as I was saying before I was interrupted and killed I'm going to be out of town for July and I'm not sure I'll be able to get internet access. But do not fear, even if there is no internet I shall work tirelessly so even if I don't update till August you'll get TWO chapters or more.

I can't believe my first fic is almost finished…it's such a nice feeling. It feels like you know I can actually DO something.

All your support and Reviews are appreciated

Draco: WHY WON"T YOU DIE???!?!?!?! kicks Author to Canada

FEED THE AUTHOR! REVIEW!


	9. Chapter 9: Part One

Disclaimer: Looking back at my last couple of chapters you may have noticed that I have not had any disclaimers. You're probably wondering why that is. Or maybe your not, but I'll tell you anyways. See I could tell you the truth…OR, I could give you two scenarios and you could take your pick. The first scenario was because I forgot or Second, It's because JK Rowling has died leaving me the sole beneficiary of all rights to Harry Potter. Take your pick

A/N: WOW My readers are all a bunch on crazed fan girls! AWESOME! But please…remind me never to mention any cute guy actors…or people that you know or something. Oh yes…BACK OFF! TOM IS MINE! MWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAsigh …shutting up

TO THE REVIEWERS: We had a whole batch of new reviewers…I'm so excited that some of you are spreading the word about my story! It's much appreciated. Now…here's the next thing you do! Go and read my other story "From the Ground Up" and Review that to! And, after you have read it, if you are interested in being my beta email me, my email address is on my profile. I HAVE 200 REVIEWS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! does I have 200 reviews dance

Mintytoothpick : NO! YOU CANNOT HAVE DRACO! HE'S MINE! Hehe…mine…lol

Josie: I'm sorry, you misunderstood me. There is nothing wrong with Canada. I am also a citizen of Canada, but I live in the US (I am a duel citizen because my mom is from Canada) There is absolutely nothing wrong with Canada, I am simply using that country because that is where I'll be going while I'm out of town. CANADA ROCKS!

Fionger: …um…thanks?

The-sexy-flower: Wow thank you so much! It's been a while since anybody has told me WHY they like my story, and I appreciate it. I reviewed you Snape fic, and I shall tell you again what I told you in the review…Don't make Hermione TO slutty, you haven't done it yet but I'm getting this…feeling. I heart your fic and I want an update!

Hotinkflamingo: YAY! Loyalty is an admirable trait…are you a Gryffindor by any chance?

Sk8erpunkGCpnay: I'M SORRY! I KNOW NOW! Of course I'll invite you to the wedding! You'll be the first after the entire cast of Harry Potter and…um…JK Rowling, and Sally, and Rose, and my family, and…you get the picture but you'll definitely be on the list. Lol JK but I will invite you

Ani: I used to spell my name like that…but then nobody pronounced it right so I gave up. Thanks for the review

Malleana: I don't like Saint Potter either…but fear not! I shall kill him off again. Hehe. If you really like Harry bashing fics you should read my other HP fic "From the Ground Up" It only has the prologue in but Harry is going to be an abusive bastard and Draco gets to beat the sh-er…snot! Out of him!

TennisNerd23: Yup I found out his name as you probably read later in the story, I have that picture of him with the book. See the problem with taking more than a day to write a fic as that your author's notes are kind of disjointed but…that's okay!

Berry: I can assure you that I have never read your story and let alone steal anything from it! The blood bonding was made up by me while lying in my bed at 4 in the morning trying to go to sleep. I have read other stories with a similar blood bonding ritual but only after I had posted my chapter that introduced blood bonding. Actually I only read it a couple weeks ago after chapter seven. Thank you for the review.

Ashley: I really, really want internet. SOOOOO bad…so I'll find a way to post.

B: nope, you never can…unless you're me replaces allfootage of Lupin in all reels of the third movie with another taller, skinnier, paler actor

Ginny Weasley: Thanks for all your reviews! They make me happy!

Tess: Thanks

ShortStuff10: Harry is going to-plot smothers author under pillow There will be no more giving away of the plot…she hits hard!

RnB Diva Gurl- I hope it turns out happy to…I better get to work on that

Haystack8190- hugs back! I know what you mean about the whole no computer thing…well at least about the no internet part anyways. IT SUCKS!

Anonymous: Yes you are my 196th reviewer but now I need 210 but I'm taking pity on you and updating anyways

Awwww: I'm back and updating

Desi: A wee bit attractive? Desi Tom Felton is FINE!

Ellen: Hello my darling cousin! Thanks so much for reading and reviewing

TJ: Wow! TJ you actually read my story! And I wasn't even there to punch you until you reviewed! Thanks so much. And HOT DAMN you're my 200th Reviewer way to go

 Chapter Nine: Doubt

FRANK CRANE:

You may be deceived if you trust too much, but you will live in torment if you don't trust enough.

Hermione wandered around the bottom floor

Taking in the elaborate gold inlay on the ceiling and the cool green marble on the floor

Hermione snorted

Lucius was such a fool

Granted a rich fool

But a fool none the less

Tossing his money away on such frivolous things

She felt such a violent surge of disgust that she almost doubled over

Muttering under her breath she straightened

These little "episodes" as she termed them had been happening more and more frequently over the last couple of weeks

Ever since she and Draco had talked in the office she had been experiencing emotions that weren't hers

The "episodes"

The were really, really starting to piss her off

"I mean seriously, how can I be expected to figure out what I'm feeling if what I'm feeling is all mixed up with what HE'S feeling?" Hermione asked out loud

Groaning she sat down smack dab in the middle of the hall way and then leaned backwards so that she was lying on the cool green marble her legs stretched out and her ankles crossed. She pillowed her head in her hands.

Sighing she closed her eyes and tried to puzzle through what was happening to her

She just couldn't get around the fact that she was in Draco Malfoy's house and he hadn't killed her yet

He's probably waiting to use me for one of his twisted schemes

_'OR maybe he has no intention of hurting you, maybe he was telling the truth and cares for you.' _ The little voice said

Oh come on! It's Draco MALFOY we're talking about here, Malfoys don't HAVE feelings, he couldn't possibly care for me, and he's probably just using me.

_'You know except for the whole locking-Hermione-in-my-room-for-weeks-at-a-time he was actually being very nice'_

Yes being nice for a REASON, He obviously wants something

_'Or maybe he's just trying to be your friend' _the little voice insisted

Why on EARTH would Draco want to be her friend?

_'Just give it a chance!' _the little voice nagged

Fine, fine

"You know I never USED to have conversations with myself before I came her…it must be something in the water" She said loudly, her voice echoing in the cavernous hall way

Draco paused in the middle of the hall staring down at where Hermione lay, studying her face

She looked peaceful…except for that little furrow in between her brows

Smiling he said "Should I be concerned for your sanity? You know usually having conversations with yourself is a sign that you're losing it."

Hermione opened one I up a crack and stared up at Draco

Weaving a playful note into her voice she said "Well…if I am it's your fault. Plus wouldn't you go nutters to? We share a soul after all."

Draco dropped down next to where Hermione lay and leaned back on his elbows

"Well…I suppose that is true." He said slowly

But then grinning he said "But would you even be able to tell? Us Malfoys have been considered insane for eons!"

Hermione giggled

Hermione smacked a hand over her mouth

Had she just…giggled?

No of course she hadn't!

Hermione Granger NEVER giggled

It…it just wasn't done!

Draco looked at Hermione out of the corner of his eye

Seeing the shocked expression on her face he grinned that big Cheshire cat grin

There was nothing more fun than pissing Granger off

He got to work

"Did you just GIGGLE?" he asked adding an exaggerated note of surprise and a little disgust to his voice

Hermione turned beat red and sat up

"NO!" she shouted

Draco smirked inwardly

It was just so much fun

And so EASY!

"Oh come on now! You giggled and you know it!"

"I…I…I laughed! Laughing is NOT giggling!" she tried to defend herself

Draco snickered

"I'm so proud of myself! I made the Great Granger Giggle" (AN- Isn't alliteration fun?)       

"Oh shut up!" Hermione said finally catching onto the game Draco was playing "Be careful Draco you may start to blush again…BLUSHER!"

(AN- right now you're probably going "What the hell is the author on? Get on with the story already!" But I assure you that the bonding they are doing right now is integral to the plot…oh yes and get your barf bags ready…Kiss scene ahead)

"I did NOT blush" said Draco, his cheeks tinged with pink

"Oh come on! You blushed and you know it!" Said Hermione, mimicking Draco's earlier words

Draco finally caught on

"Shut up!" he said laughing

"BLUSHER!"

"GIGGLER!"

"I did not giggle!"

"Yes you did!"

"Did not!"

"Did to!"

"I DID NOT!" Hermione shouted

"Yes you did and I can make you giggle again!"

"Oh yah…how?"

Draco grinned slyly

"Like this!"

Draco pounced on Hermione's prone figure tickling her until Hermione screamed with laughter

"T-that doesn't count!" she gasped gulping in air

Her stomach hurt from laughing so hard

Draco leaned down till his nose almost touched hers

"It does to count…or do you want me to prove my point again?"

"No!" she said her cheeks still pink from laughing

She smiled her sparkling sapphire eyes meeting Draco's glacial eyes

Draco's eyes drifted down to her curved lips

The expression on his face darkened

Slowly he leaned in and placed his lips over Hermione's

A gentle kiss

A sweet kiss

Hermione wrapped her arms around his neck and sighed

"Draco" she murmured

Draco rolled over onto Hermione so that she was pinned underneath him.

He deepened the kiss and slowly slid his hands underneath her shirt, resting them on the warm, smooth, skin of her stomach

"I love you" he sighed against her lips

Hermione and Draco's eyes snapped open simultaneously

Draco hurled himself off of Hermione and Hermione scrambled backwards away from Draco

Draco stayed where he was, kneeling on the floor staring at Hermione with a panicked look in his eye

_'Why did I say that!? It wasn't the right time! She'll be scared now! She won't ever talk to me again!' _The voice in Draco's head screamed in anguish at seeing the shock written plainly on her face

'Well now we'll find out how she feels about me' the rational part of Draco thought

He braced himself for the silvery pain of losing the only thing that mattered any more

It was sure to come

_'YES! YES! YES! YES!' _the little voice in Hermione's head screamed '_Tell him! Tell him how YOU feel!' _the little voice insisted

'He doesn't really love me.' The rational part of Hermione's mind insisted 'He's using me. He doesn't mean it'

_'Why would he say it if he doesn't mean it?' _The little voice queried persuasively _'He LOVES you. You LOVE him. TELL HIM!' _

'I don't know if I love him' the rational voice insisted

_'You love him' _the little voice said determinately

'He doesn't love me'

_'He said so'_

'He didn't mean it'

_'He said he loved you'_

'He didn't mean it'

"You don't mean it" she spoke a loud

Draco gaped at Hermione.

He finally, finally, FINALLY told her how he felt

…and she didn't believe him?

Of all the possible scenarios that Draco had envisioned this was never one of them

Never had he thought that upon confessing his feelings to the woman he loved, she wouldn't believe him

But judging from the silence that had followed after his slip up Granger had probably reasoned her way to the wrong conclusion, and nothing on this planet would get her to rethink it or admit that she was wrong.

However

He was just as stubborn as she was

He had told her how he felt

And if he couldn't get her to reciprocate those feelings

He would damn well get her to accept them!

So he prepared himself to butt proverbial heads with Granger…or if it came right down to it, they might also end up bumping actual heads

"Granger…Hermione, I am well past the age that allows me to know my own mind. I meant what I said." Draco said coldly

Hermione just stared at him, her sapphire eyes unblinking as she studied him

Then she shook her head sadly

"Draco…you can't mean it." she said, sorrow tinting her voice

Draco stared back at her just as calmly as she

"Hermione. I. Meant. What. I. Said." He enunciated slowly

Hermione just kept shaking her head

"Draco…there's no possible way you could have meant it…you don't love me…I don't love you…we're to different" Hermione lied

Draco felt an arrow of pain lance up, starting in his stomach and ending in his heart where it resided, a slow and steady throb

She didn't love him

He closed his eyes tightly

Fine

But he would still make her believe him

He opened his eyes and stared at the woman he loved

The woman who didn't love him back

"Hermione…haven't you ever heard the expression love is blind?" at her hesitant nod he continued "Well that doesn't just apply to our physical appearances I

Figured that in our case that it goes deeper. It's completely blind to all our differences our faults our beliefs. You don't pick out an ideal person and say 'this is the person

who I am going to love for the rest of my life' It just happens…and once it has, you can't change it."

Hermione stared at him

Her heart aching

She wished so badly she could believe him…

But how could she?

How many times had Draco lied to her and she had believed it?

To many to count

How did she know this wasn't just one of his sick jokes?

You don't

Why would she take that risk?

To know the truth, to be happy again

Happy

Hermione suppressed a wistful sigh

How she wished that she could be happy again

'_But you have been happy these last few days…happy with __DRACO__'_ the little voice came back with a vengeance

A few days on the grand scale of things was so little

And besides hadn't he made her life completely miserable for the seven years in Hogwarts?

For the last month that he'd had her?

Wasn't he the follower…no the RIGHT HAND MAN of the creature who ruined her life?

Hadn't he killed countless innocents?

Hadn't he?

Wasn't he?

Didn't he?

_'But you LOVE him_' the little voice insisted

Love?

Did she know what love was anymore?

"Draco…it's not real…it can't be. Love doesn't exist in the world we live in. You and your master destroyed it." She said sadly

Draco paled "I didn't kill love…nor did Lord Voldemort."

Hermione shook her head "You killed hope. And without hope how can there be love?"

Draco didn't have an answer to that

"I love you! Why can't you see that?" he asked slightly panicked

Hermione looked at him

Her eyes eloquent with sadness

"I…I don't think you CAN love Draco. I can't…I can't see it because it's not there…it doesn't exist." Hermione said her voice breaking repeatedly

Draco stared in shock

"You…you don't think I can love? ME? The greatest lover to ever walk Hogwarts or the face of this earth not know how to love?" he exclaimed showing a hint of the infamous Malfoy ego "I assure you Hermione I CAN love…I'd be happy to give you a demonstration." He said trying to lighten the mood, putting on a smiling face while inside his heart was breaking

His love?

Not exist?

Hermione's lip trembled

"That's…that's not what I'm talking about Draco…I don't doubt that you're skilled in…erm…carnal matters but that's not what I meant." She said choosing her words carefully

Draco dropped his cheerful façade and stared Hermione straight in the eye.

"Then what exactly was it that you meant?" he said quietly

Hermione shifted uncomfortably

"I've never seen you show any emotion but…hate. Never before you brought me here." She indicated the manor with a wave of her hand "How do I know that everything you've done here hasn't been an act? That you're not playing a game with me? If-"

Draco interrupted impatiently "It's not. It's not an act."

Hermione continued on as if he hadn't spoken

"If it's not an act…but of course it is."

"Why?" Draco interrupted again "Why is it an act?"

Hermione stared at him sadly her eyes glimmering with…tears?

Tears for him?

For her?

"Because that would mean that you could feel things other than hate. But if you could feel things besides hate you would never have been able to follow Voldemort. You never would have been able to kill the thousands of innocents you must have to become the Dark Lord's right hand man. Draco your entire existence is evidence against your proclamation." She said quietly

"You can't love. You're not capable of it."

Draco stared in shock

It wasn't true.

It couldn't be

He stood without making a sound and then, in hardly more than a whisper he said "You don't understand anything."

And then he turned and left the hall leaving Hermione where she sat.

Harry moved swiftly across the rolling green of the country side

He had hardly stopped in the three weeks since Voldemort had brought him back

He didn't want to stop because then he would think

He didn't want to think yet

He didn't want to wonder about why Voldemort had brought him back

Or what it meant when Voldemort said Draco had Hermione

Or what it meant that he was back

Or what he was supposed to do now that he was back

His eyes blinked furiously

Trying to see through the falling sheets of rain

Hermione

Hermione would know what to do

He had to get her back

_'I'm coming for you Hermione._' He vowed silently

I'm coming for you

He was almost there

Hermione buried her head in her hands.

What had she done?

She had told the truth…nothing more nothing less

But…then why did her heart hurt so terribly?

Why was the little voice in the back of her head sobbing uncontrollably?

Why did her throat ache with the need to release the sobs?

Why were her eyes filling up with tears?

Why did she have that slow, grinding ache in her stomach as if she had lost something important?

She stood up with a flurry of fabric and turned to follow Draco

She was already up the stairs and at the door to his room when she realized that she was going to do when she found him

What would she say to him?

She could picture it now

**HERMIONE'S IMAGINATION**

Hermione knocked softly on Draco's door

The sound of foot steps could be heard as Draco crossed the floor to open the door

Hermione stood in the door frame

Her silky negligee encasing her curvy little body and her long chestnut hair framing her pale, beautiful face

"Draco…I'm sorry. I didn't mean it…I love you. I really love you!" she said softly

Draco reached out, his beautiful cold blue eyes staring into her own sapphire eyes, and took her hand tugging her gently into his room

Then a lock of silvery blond hair falling into his eyes he leaned in and kissed her softly and lead her to the bed where they made passionate love and lived happily ever after.

Hermione snorted

Yah right

First off she didn't own a teddy and hoping that the sight of her breasts would make Draco so malleable he would completely forgive her, her harsh words was pointless

Hermione looked down at her chest and sighed sadly

Nope definitely not an option

And in all actuality it would go more like this

**HERMIONE'S IMAGINATION…AGAIN**

****

Hermione knocked softly on Draco's door

The sound of foot steps could be heard as Draco crossed the floor to open the door

Hermione stood in the door frame

Her oversized shirt showing little of her near anorexic looking body and her long bushy chestnut hair framing her sickly pale, plain face

"Draco…I'm sorry. I didn't mean it…I love you. I really love you!" she said softly

Draco snorted derisively "What do I care you filthy little mudblood? Get lost"

Hermione gaped in shock

"B…But you said you loved me!" she gasped

Draco sneered "What a handsome pureblood like me love filth like you? What are you on Granger?"

(A/N now remember folks Hermione is very pretty but nobody perceives themselves as beautiful or handsome…well except Draco, but he doesn't count and so in their mind they are plain or ugly depending on the mood…continue.)

Hermione sighed

No it wouldn't go like that either

Because she had no intention of admitting she loved him

She didn't even know IF she loved him

_'You do_' the little voice said

Okay, okay fine she did

But she wasn't telling him because she absolutely believed what she said downstairs

He didn't love her

He couldn't love

It was the truth

But she still wanted to talk to him

About what she didn't know

But…she did want to talk to him

Hermione raised her hand and slowly knocked on the door

No sound of footsteps could be heard

She knocked harder

Still no answer

"Draco?" she called hesitantly

No answer

She reached down for the door knob and slowly turned it

The door swung open and Hermione poked her head in

"Draco? Draco are you in here?" she asked softly

Completely entering the room she closed the door behind her

She looked around the room that had been her prison several weeks ago

No sign of Draco

In fact the room looked exactly the same as it had several weeks ago…except for the black book lying open on the blue silk sheets of the bed

The little black book she had come across when she had first snooped through the room

The little black book she had taken to be a diary

The little black book she hadn't been able to open

The same little black book that was now lying open on the large four poster bed

Hermione edged closer and craned her neck trying to read the writing on the white pages

She gave a furtive look around the room and then dropped down next to the book pulling it towards her guiltily

She glanced at the page in front of her and then shut the book

She shouldn't do this

I mean it was such an evasion of privacy

But it WAS a book

And when had Hermione-Lives-in-the–Library-Granger NOT read a book that interested her?

Hermione tentatively opened the black book to the first page

AN: Well I'm back from vacation and I've updated. This is the first half of chapter nine. It is 17 pages long. If I hadn't cut chapter nine in half it would have been 40. Which is not long for me but who knows you guys may not like obscenely long chapters. Plus chapter nine has a lot of important stuff to take in and I didn't want to overwhelm you or anything. It's great to be home.

REVIEW or I will staple your tongue to your forehead, stick broccoli in your ear and dump you in the nearest septic pumping facility.


	10. Chapter 9: Part Two

Hello folks. This is the second half of Chapter Nine. I wasn't originally planning on responding to reviews but I was reading them and they made me so HAPPY I just had to respond…plus I got my first flame which I think is (hardly) deserving of a response chuckleswickedly. Plus a whole load of new reviewers and I need to give them incentive to review. I don't know what it is about that but when ever an author responds to me it makes me really happy…I probably just like seeing my own name but…whatever on to the reviews.****

Ginny Weasley: Hey girl you alwaaaays review and that makes me sooo happy does insanely peppy creepy cheer thing and ends up breaking neck…oh well …it was a nice idea.

Miriel216: Yah…my chapter lengths are extremely erratic…I used to have to try to get like 6 pages and now I'm trying to keep it between 15 and 20 but end up going to like…40 or 50

Mintytoothpick: no! They are all mine. MWAHAHAHAHAHAHAH

DarkAngelB: I reviewed your stories! YAY! I already knew about the Salster thing…you told me like…forever and ever ago! Are you going senile? You know you being ancient and all!

Nicole-HP-fan: WOW 18? That's insane…I've got like…two.

The-sexy-flower: Thank you for being so understanding about my pretentious unsolicited advice…I just had a slutty Hermione

OKAY FOLKS HERE IT IS! THE FLAME! (Actually it was kind of a nice flame so I won't be completely and totally evil to him/her0

Anonymous: First off, if you are going to flame a story you should do it under your own name, not hiding behind ANONYMOUS, secondly it's a Fan fiction, Hermione is in love with Draco, obviously she's going to be out of character. I mean you can only keep her in character up to a certain point. Yes Draco is a psycho…a sexy psycho if you have a problem with it I'm sure a million, salivitating fan girls would be more than happy to mob you. Babe, it's my fic, if I want everyone good dead…than they ARE dead. Plus who said anything about EVERYONE good being dead? The story isn't finished yet so how do you know. Actually the only person/animal who would be considered "good" who I felt bad about killing WAS Crookshanks…so who knows…maybe I'll bring him back to. As to the Harry thing yes he will come back, but it has important plot points and I'll kill him again anyways so don't get too attached to him. Thanks for your review

Malleana: I LOVE your name steals YAY! You understand Hermione gives Malleana big shiny trophy

Chibimecools: How was it confusing?

Desi: Tom Felton is the epitome of FINE

Awwwwww: staples your tongue to your forehead just for the hell of it Hermione is stubborn…what can I say?

V-queen: I know but some reviewers aren't as intelligent and appreciative as you are

Serpentess: kills

Haystack8190: I'm glad I'm back to…FINALLY!

Sk8erpunkGCpnay: I love you my dear UPDATE YOUR STORIES! YOU ARE AN AWESOME WRITER!

TennisNerd23: You think THAT was a cliffie? HEHEHEHE wait until you see this one! You'll HATE me! I know I LOVE long chapters as well but some of my reviewers aren't as appreciative as you and I don't want to be mobbed. Plus I didn't split it just for length…it was also a lot to take in and I wanted to break it to you slowly.

_September 1, 1997___

_Today was my first day at Hogwarts. I was sorted into Slytherin as is befitting to a Malfoy. But I can't help longing for the Gryffindor, or Ravenclaw table. Hell! I'd even settle for the Hufflepuff table as long as I was surrounded by people who cared, by people who wouldn't expect me to be the cold and emotionless __Draco__Malfoy__. But here, here at the Slytherin table it is just like my home. It is cold, the people I'm surrounded by are distant, frigid, and the only emotion they show is hate. And of course that is all they expect me to show. Being as I am a Slytherin and a Malfoy on top of it. Sometimes I can slip easily into that mold. Be exactly who my father and the whole of this world expect me to be but other times…other times I just wish I was anyone but myself, any where but where I am now. These longings are becoming more and more infrequent. I fear that when they stop all together I will lose whatever humanity I still possess. I don't know that when this happens if I should mourn the loss or embrace it. _

"That poor little boy." Hermione said aloud

For when she read this she didn't see Malfoy as he was now

She saw a frightened confused little boy

_The longing is ripping me up inside. Just today it happened again. I was standing next to my father, trying to mach my icy demeanor exactly to his, in the King's Cross Station when I saw this girl. I don't know what made me notice her. She appeared rather plain looking at first glance. Her bushy ginger hair obscured her face as she pushed her trunk towards platform nine and three quarters when she stopped, turned, and ran towards a couple standing several yards away. She ran to them and embraced them. The woman who had the same ginger colored hair as her began to cry as she hugged, who I assumed to be, her daughter. The man watched his eyes obscured by thick framed glasses, the lenses slightly fogged. Turning to him the girl wrapped her arms around his waist and squeezed, pressing her face against his chest. The man stood rigid for a moment and then embraced her, holding her as tightly as she held him._

"Me" Hermione said aghast "He's writing about me."

_ At that moment I felt such a yearning to be able to approach the cold man next to me and hug him as this girl was hugging her father and have him hug me back. But I knew that any display of affection on my part would be met with icy disdain and a swift back hand. The Malfoys do not show affection. At that moment, when I felt I was about to cry from the longing tugging at my heart, my father turned and followed my gaze. "Filthy mudbloods." He sneered. I matched my expression exactly to his. The bushy haired girl pulled away from her father, wiping tears from her face. With a quick smile she turned, grabbed her trunk and ran through the brick wall separating Platforms 9 and 10. My father turned to me and said "You'd better hope you get sorted into Slytherin…or you know what would happen."_

"Why that brute!" Hermione exclaimed

I knew he was an ass hole

But to hit his own child?

And Draco…poor Draco

Could she have lived in such ice?

No

She wouldn't have survived

But Draco had

_ With that he whirled and left. Leaving me standing with Dobby. Turning to him I said "Thank you Dobby but I can take my bags to the train with out your assistance." Dobby's lip quivered and his green, bulbous eyes shone with tears "N-no sir! Your father has been telling me to take your bags or…or else!" he squeaked "Very well" I sighed, and then in a whisper so not to be heard I added "Thank you Dobby. I'll send you some chocolate when I get there." Dobby's thin arms shook as he lifted my heavy trunk his eyes shining with indecision he said "Oh no sir! Wouldn't be proper!" I just smiled I knew Dobby had a secret fondness for chocolate. "I'll send some when I get there." Dobby broke into a grin "You are the kindest of wizards sir!"_

"Why he treated Dobby kindly!" Hermione mused a loud

"Maybe I can get him to join SPEW?" Hermione wondered

_ I headed through the invisible barrier and walked onto the scarlet steam engine. Settling myself into the seat I closed my eyes and tried to dose of, this how ever was interrupted by the arrival of the idiots Crabe and Goyle, the sons of my father's cronies. I leaned my head back and closed my eyes, wishing myself away from this compartment. When the snack cart came around I was compelled to leave, the sound of Crabe and Goyle's eating repulsing me. I stood and left, almost sighing when Crabe and Goyle followed me. I don't know what made me seek out the girl from the station. But I did. I walked up and down the compartments until I found her in one towards the back. I ignored my feeling of disappointment when I saw she was not alone. Although her companions gave me a perfectly good reason to be there. "Well, well, well, if it isn't the famous Harry Potter." I sneered. The whole time I spoke to them I felt my heart break as I hurled insults at the people in the compartment. Why did I have to be like that? What if I had driven the girl away? But it appeared as if my insults had absolutely no affect on her. I was happy but at the same time infuriated by her lack of response. When we finally arrived at the castle I was in awe of its sheer size but I covered this with a sneer._

"He looked for me?" Hermione asked "and my passive aggressive approach towards bullies infuriated him?"

He didn't want to hurt me?

_ Never in my life had a felt such fear as when the sorting hat was placed on my head. 'Slytherin' I thought 'I must be in Slytherin!' 'Oh and why is that hm?' the sorting hat murmured but I didn't have time to answer before he shouted SLYTHERIN. I knew that he had seen the answer in my thoughts. To the sorting hat I shall be eternally grateful. Although I find myself wondering, that if the shadow of my father wasn't looming over me, would I have been sorted differently? I must go, someone is coming_

Hermione gaped

She had always thought of Draco as the poster boy of Slytherin

Slytherin in everyway

Could that all have been an act?

Hermione skipped several entries that dealed mainly with his class schedule and stopped at one when he saw her name

_November 1, 1997___

_I watched the girl from the train station, Hermione Granger as I later found out, as she ate across from me at the Gryffindor table. She sat there, laughing, with her new best friends Potty and Weasel. Didn't she remember that a couple of weeks ago they had hated her? I didn't understand it. How could she become instant friends with the likes of THEM when she didn't even look twice at me? They had made her cry and all I wanted was to be her friend…but wasn't I just as bad as them if not worse? I was cruel to her. Intentionally. But I didn't know how else to approach her. She was perfect. She had a perfect life. Perfect friends. Perfect families. She was beautiful. Smart. Far smarter than I could ever hope to be. Every time I spoke to her I longed for what she had and the longing was overwhelming I couldn't be kind to her when she was always looking at me as if I were shit on the sole of her shoe or with her buddies Weasel and Pot head._

Hermione shook her head confused

He had wanted to be her friend?

He thought she was perfect?

She felt her pity and growing affection for the child Malfoy grow

She wished she could go back in time and comfort him.

To give him the affection he needed so badly

She turned back to the diary and continued to read

Scanning and stopping at more interesting passages

_June 9, 1998_

_My father beat me today. My first day home from Hogwarts. I find myself already longing for those cool stone walls. For charms, for potions, hell even for the Slytherin common room. Nothing is as bad as home. As my father beat me I found that I could slip down, down, down into this tiny place in the back of my mind where I pretended like I was in Potions class and Hermione was there, I could just see her out of the corner of my eye as she whispered instructions furtively to that idiot Neville. It's funny that my refuge is her when the reason I am being beat is her. Yes her. My father is beating me because in all my classes no matter how high my mark, Hermione had beat me. Good for her. But as my father's fists pounded into me, bloodying my nose, breaking two of my ribs, and giving me a black eye I felt a little bit of that humanity I spoke of die. I'm afraid I'll become a monster like him. Like him._

Hermione pressed a hand to her mouth and stifled a sob

She had done that to him?

She had made that happen to him?

She wished Lucius was still alive so she could kill him

Kill him for beating a poor, defenseless little boy

She felt a surge of maternal feelings for the little boy Draco had been

She returned to the book

Turning several pages she stopped on a page that looked as if it were stained with tears

_October 24, 1998_

_It's true. My humanity is slipping away. I'm turning into my father. I'm beginning to deteriorate into the black. Taking everyone around me down as well. I called Hermione Granger a mudblood today. As the words slipped through my lips a felt a piece of me die. Just this tiny little piece, but it was as if I fed the sickness. The longing is coming less and less. I fear that soon it will be completely gone. As I said those words Hermione didn't even flinch. Something that almost killed me had absolutely no affect on her. I admired her composure even as I hated it. I found myself wishing that Potter and Weasley really would hurt me. I felt as if I needed to be punished. As if I deserved it. But the Weasel couldn't even get that right. He ended up vomiting slugs into a bucket and I walked away scotch free. Soon I will be exactly as my father and the other Slytherin. I will be cold. Emotionless. Empty except for the hate. Except for the hate. I will remain a warm blooded creature, but my heart will be frozen. I don't want that. But I feel the tickle as the ice consumes my body. Even as I write this I am slipping away._

Could that happen?

Could you fight, and fight, and fight and still never win?

Hermione stifled a derisive laugh.

Hadn't she been doing that for years?

Fighting against him…Voldemort.

But could that really happen?

You could see the danger

See the outcome

But still be incapable of stopping it.

She stared unseeing at the words as tears welled up in her eyes

Not tears for her

Tears for the child Draco had been

He had had to fight every day to remain himself

Alone

Alone while he had longed for her

While she had been happily oblivious

_June 6, 1999___

_It was a repeat of last year. I arrived home and instead of being greeted with open arms I was greeted with hard fists. It was the same shit, just a different day. Same reason. Same pain. I retreated down into myself, curling into a ball as the fists rained down on me. I didn't feel them though. I was happily stirring extract of frog liver into my bubbling cauldron as I snuck glances at Hermione Granger. But later, after he was done. I worried. It had been harder for me to find that place in the back of my mind. It was harder to find Hermione through the maze of hate that is rapidly being built inside my head._

Hermione felt righteous rage bubble up as she clenched and unclenched her fists

She really did wish Lucius was still alive

She would love to rip into him.

_November 11, 1999___

_I finally got a rise out of Hermione-seemingly-unflappable-Granger. It's only taken me three years of trying but I finally broke that calm composure of hers. It broke my heart. I made fun of that beast that mauled me, okay yes it was my fault but mauling is mauling. I didn't want it dead. But my father insisted. It had brought a Malfoy to its knees, and therefore had to go. He deemed it a monster, as if he was a monster himself. As if he didn't do far worse to me every holiday. I made fun of the Hippogriff, and that giant Hagrid and Hermione slapped me. Slapped me hard. I knew I deserved it. I welcomed it. I rejoiced in the fact that I had finally broken that wall around her even as I felt my heart shatter at the sight of tears in her eyes. I felt another piece of me slip away. No matter how hard I hang on to them that darkness rises up, overwhelming, and rips another strip away._

Hermione blinked away tears.

How could anyone go through this?

How could anyone feel so horrible about doing something and continue to do it?

How could someone live with a monster like that and not turn into one?

How could anyone survive a childhood like that and not emerge with scars?

Draco hadn't wanted Buckbeak dead?

But when he had spoken to her there had been nothing but disgust in his voice.

But looking back now she could see that that was just an act put on by a frightened child 

She pillowed her head in her hands, the sound of the rain comforting her as she tried to come to grips with the fact that everything she thought she knew about Draco had been a lie.

And she was only at their third year in Hogwarts

She pushed a strand of red-brown hair away from her face and continued to read

_November 12, 1999___

_I was happy to learn that Buckbeak escaped, I'm sure that the golden trio had something to do with it, and I can't help but feel grateful towards them. Although my father is furious! I can't help but wonder if he will take this out on me over Christmas break_

_December 17, 1999___

_I'm not surprised that my father beat me. In fact I was expecting it. As his fists rained down on me I retreated down, down, down, down into myself. But it is becoming harder and harder to find that place in my mind where I am at peace. I know now that when my humanity is gone, so shall that little corner of my mind where I can hide._

Hermione's lip quivered

She couldn't believe that one so young would be forced to fight such an overwhelming battle

A battle for good and evil

A battle being fought inside himself

Where the enemy was indistinguishable form himself

She wished she could have been there

Been there to help him

She felt love swell in her heart for the scared little boy who fought a battle he couldn't win

She skipped some passages detailing several quiditch matches and classes

_June 15, 2000___

_It's a new millennia but everything is the same. At home, at school. I still treat Hermione Granger like shit, she still ignores me as little pieces of my humanity fade. I know that if only I could be nice to her I would retain my humanity, but every time I am around her I feel jealousy, jealousy when I see her with Potty and Weasel, jealousy when I see her smile at someone besides me. I would give anything to have her look at me as she does Pot head or Weasel. Hell I'd give anything to have her look at me the way she looks at Longbottom!  Every time I see her the blackness rises up and I lash out. I wish that I didn't but it seems as if it is unstoppable, the consumption of soul. When my father beat me today I almost couldn't find the hiding space in my mind. I almost couldn't find Hermione._

Jealous

He was jealous of Harry and Ron

Neville?

Hermione wiped tears from her cheek

Even as she read she could see bits and pieces of Malfoy that she had never seen before.

But if what he was writing was any indication

She feared that they would soon be gone

Gone from the little boy she loved

Gone from the man she loved

And if it was true, if Draco's humanity died, he really would be incapable of anything but hate

She returned to the book

Keeping her fingers crossed as she cheered the child-Draco on

_December 24, 2000___

_Scar head and Weasel are such idiots. Blind idiots. They never saw what was under their noses the whole time I was secretly longing for what they had. I attended the Yule Ball with Pansy. I absolutely loath her. The whole time she was talking to me I was staring at Hermione. She was stunning. Something I had known for a very long time, but the way Ron and Harry were staring at her you would thing she had grown an extra head. Bet they wished they had gone with HER instead of with those fool gossips they had on their arms. Although Hermione had done well for herself. She was on the arm of the Bulgarian seeker Victor Krum. I was so jealous of him I could hardly breathe. Every time Hermione laid her hand on his arm I wanted to leap from my seat and rip them apart. It is the beast inside me. The beast I feed whenever I unleash the hate that I harbor within me. The beast wants what it believes is it and, for some reason, it wants Hermione. I fear the beast as it grows inside me. I do not want to go near Hermione for fear of unleashing it. For fear of feeding it more of my soul. _

Hermione reread the passage.

He really was Jealous of her

Jealous of Victor

Had Harry and Ron really stared at her?

And the beast.

The beast wanted her?

Was it possible the beast had won?

That who Draco was now was only a remnant of himself and it was the beast in control

The beast that wanted her

Hermione shook her head

You know what they say about assuming

She turned back to the journal

_June 1, 2001___

_Voldemort is back. The Dark Lord is back. Dumbledore, looking as old as I had ever seen him look, announced it tonight at dinner_. _The beast inside me crows in triumph as a bit of my soul died as I heard the news. That Voldemort was back meant I would be expected to join him. Become a death eater. What's left of my soul is repulsed by the thought. But the larger part of me, the part that is the beast, the part that is cold, welcomes Voldemort back._

Hermione stared unseeing at the passage

He hadn't wanted to be a Death Eater

Well at least the part of him that was Draco

Draco and not the…beast

_June 12, 2001___

_My father's drinking is becoming worse and he is steadily depleting our fortune. Soon, I fear, there will be nothing left. It wouldn't be so hard to cope, but now, with mother ill and father drinking and gambling, I find it impossible to hold on to our money. Also it is as I feared; I shall be forced to join the death eaters. But not yet. I am not old enough yet. I rejoice in this even as a part of me shakes with the need to unleash the darkness. I stayed up late last night pouring over the books. Trying, trying to find a way to keep us afloat. I believe that I am doing a passable job controlling our money and resources through correspondences. The fools I am dealing with think I am my father. It is lucky for us that he travels to shadier parts of town where he is feared when he gambles. It has kept tongues from wagging because none who have seen him dare speak is name, and even if they did they would not be believed. But the gossip would spread and the Malfoy name would be ruined. So now it is up to me to protect the Honor of a name I do not believe in. Embrace a way of life I loathe but at the same time welcome. The beatings continue. It is harder for me to find the hiding place. Soon, I fear, I shall not be able to find it at all...and then I will be dead and the beast will rule._

He had had to do BOOKS?

The immature little prat of a child had had to do books

Not just books, but business transactions

He had kept everything moving

Hermione gaped

That just proved that the Malfoy she thought she had known back in Hogwarts was just an act.

She never would have been able to face such responsibilities at 14

And Narcissa had been sick and Lucius a drunk wastrel

It didn't surprise her

She continued to read

_January 23, 2002___

_Dumbledore is gone. He has left us at the mercy of the vile Umbridge woman. I of course as still being treated as a prince because I followed my father's slurred directions and kissed up to that fat toad of a woman. I know that Dumbledore is planning something and that he has of course "spilled the beans", as they say, to Harry and he in turn told Ron and Hermione. I know that they are planning to some how over throw Umbridge. I wish I could be involved in it somehow. But after the fight last week, I don't believe any Gryffindor will even speak to me, let alone let me help them. I don't know what came over me. I said the most terrible things to the Weasel twins, and to Harry. Insulting their mothers as my own lies dieing. The cancer eating her alive. The beast is to blame; I am sure, for what I said. I felt the darkness rise up, and that poison left my mouth. So guilty have I felt, that I have been allowing the Weaslett to get the snitch, I could have easily beaten her. But I am ashamed of the things I have done, and I am once again punishing myself. I wonder that if I subject myself to enough of this self-inflicted pain if I will once again feel clean. For no matter how hard I scrub my skin, this dirty feeling pervades my being, my soul. I feel it every time I lash out, every time I look at Hermione. At how pure she is. I know now that we can never really be together. We are far too different. She is freshly fallen snow to my muddy puddle. Touching her would spoil her. Being with her would contaminate her. Loving her would kill her. I accept this now. I am doomed to become the beast, to walk alone, to live in the venom, to live in the cold. Very little of my true self remains. Sometimes I can't even find myself, trapped in the maze of hate and ice. But luckily I still feel the yearning, I feel it every time I look at Hermione. She is my anchor in this sea of hate. Even if I can not have her, she can keep me alive._

Hermione's eyes glimmered with tears

He really did love her.

He really did struggle to remain himself

He had never told her how he felt because…he felt that that would destroy her

Something must have happened, something to make him believe that he was clean enough to tell her how he felt

A silvery droplet escaped her eye and trailed down her cheek

She had to find out what changed

_June 19, 2002___

_The Ministry has finally realized that Voldemort really is back. My father, his eyes wild with fear, paces back and forth across the office floor, drinking fire whisky as if it were apple juice. He fears that the Ministry will come for him, or worse yet, Voldemort. I watch him out of the corner of my eye as I do the books, struggling to find a way to make ends meet. He paces, occasionally looking at me in a measuring way, then he finally speaks. "You boy!" he growls "You'll be joining me in the ranks of our master on Halloween." I stared at him, my eyes shards of ice. He lived in fear, but was still willing to subject me to the same life as he lived. I was terrified inside, but the new me, the cold me, the me who was more often in control than I was, .  The me I had pretending to be for so long just stared at the man who had once been my father coolly. "Very well." I heard myself say. Inside I screamed in agony. NO NO I didn't want to be a Death Eater! I don't want to be a monster! I don't want to be you! But my outside was frozen into a mask of arrogance. My inner self, ME couldn't break through the ice, couldn't wrestle control away from the beast. I was no longer at the steering wheel. I was just along for the ride. A spectator of my life being ruined. "What? No argument?" I heard my father sneer. And then I heard my own voice, sarcasm leaking from it. "No SIR" My voice making the last word sound like a synonym for bastard, which, as far as I was concerned, it was. "Don't take that tone with me young man! I'm still the master of this house." My father shouted, his voice slurred. His fist connected solidly with my jaw, the beast wanted to fight, I felt my fists clench and my muscles tense, ready to spring. But enough of me remained that I wrestled back the impulse and let my father beat me. It hardly mattered to me. But the beast was angry, I could feel the burning blackness as my father's fists ripped into me. I retreated down into myself but became lost in the black, finally I came across the potions class room, Hermione, but it was so hard to find it, to remain there as the blackness closed in around my safe haven. But I had found it, and I stayed in it. It was a small victory for me. I knew that soon even that would be taken away from me, and soon after that my safe haven would be gone all together, swallowed by the black. _

He was fighting a loosing battle Hermione realized

She wondered if he did succumb to it in the end

She wondered if the Draco she knew now really was DRACO or if it was the Beast he spoke of

But she couldn't believe that.

The Draco she had lived with for the past months had been kind, funny, loving.

She had to believe that Draco had some how managed to escape the ice, the hate

She turned the page in the black book

Her eyes moving quickly as she read

_October 15, 2002___

_I received an owl today informing me of my mother's death. The letter was written in my father's hand, it was brief. It read simply "Your mother passed away on this day __October 15, 2002__ at __4:45am__. L. Malfoy" I stared at the letter, my tight grip wrinkling the expensive paper. Why had my father not told me that the cancer had reached the point where they expected death? I would have returned home to be with her in her final __mom__ents. But now, it was too late. The one human on this planet, who I knew cared about me was gone. Taken by a muggle illness. It is the ultimate irony. A muggle sickness taking the life of the wife of the Scourge of the Muggles. My soul is barely more than a shadow. And soon even that will fade. I will be inducted into the ranks of the Death Eaters on Friday, October 31. What remains of myself cowers in the tiny corner of my mind that is not invaded by darkness, and the beast, the beast paces impatiently, eagerly awaiting the 31st._

Hermione knew that Draco would be inducted into the ranks of the death eaters

For wasn't he one now?

She wondered how he had managed to retain his soul.

She was positive he still had it.

He had to.

She wouldn't have fallen in love with a man who had no soul

_October 31, 2002___

_The Dark mark burns on my arm. The stabbing pains shooting up my arm. I am nauseous but excited. The beast is excited. It knows that the next meeting I attend will mean blood. Blood to feed it. Blood to sustain it. I am now almost completely gone I know that the next meeting will be the end of me. Once I kill the beast will rule. The beast will rule_

_November 13, 2002___

_I have done it. I have killed. Or more specifically, the beast has killed. Killed innocent muggles as I stirred extract of Dragon tonsils into a simmering, acid green, potion. I am surprised that I still remain. That my soul still remains. Although it is a tiny sliver, a silvery shadow in a dark room. My earlier prediction has proved wrong and I am still here. I have not yet submitted to the beast completely. I thought that once I had killed, my soul would banish. POOF into thin air. But it was not I that killed. It was the beast. I did not participate in it, I merely witnessed the grisly act. That is the only reason I remain._

She understood now how he could kill and still have emotions.

HE hadn't done it

The beast had.

_June 17, 2003___

_Today my father beat me. I retreated down, down into myself searching for the Potion room. I could not find it. It is lost to the darkness. When my eyes opened, I saw my father standing over me, his fists raised to strike me again, and the beast awoke. I rose to my feet, grabbing his wrist in an iron grip, I leaned in close and whispered "You no longer control __me.__" And I saw fear in his eyes. The beast sensed the fear, feasted on it. I raised my fists and tore into my father, beating him until my fists were wet with our mingled blood. When I was done, when he was on the edge of unconsciousness I awoke long enough from the trance I fell into as the beast beat my father, to feel my soul die. NO! The tiny part of me that still lived free from the hate screamed. But then the beast took control. I am now frozen, the beast dictates my movements and I reside in a place of darkness. A place with no sound, I cannot see, I cannot feel. I am a prisoner, in a prison without bars. _

His soul HAD died

Hermione stifled a sob

But if it was gone

How could he write?

Maybe he wasn't all gone

Maybe he just thought he was

_September 1, 2003___

_I was surprised to see the head boy badge gleaming up at me from its bed of red satin. I was surprised that Hogwarts still existed, surprised only because I had not thought something so normal could exist in a world so dark. That was when I realized that the world was only dark for me. Yes there was a struggle. Thousands of muggles and wizards had died, many by my own hand. But no one could see the darkness that I now lived in. No one could notice the difference, I had been doing such a good job of playing the part of the beast, no one could tell the difference between the real beast, and me. I still watched as the beast moved through the motions, an unwilling spectator in a life I longed only to depart from. As I stared at the badge I realized that Hermione would be Head Girl. We would interact more closely than we ever had. The real me, the one trapped in the darkness yearned for her, hoping that she would somehow anchor me, save me from the beast. But the beast, the one who controls my body hates Hermione. I fear that the beast will harm her. I must not let that happen! I wonder how, now that my soul is gone, I still exist. Yes it could hardly be termed living, but I remain, trapped deep, deep down in a cold hard place. It is so dark I cannot see anything. I know I have described this before. But yet I wonder. How it is I can write this_

Yes how could he still exist?

It has to be because his soul is still there…he just can't find it

_September 19, 2003_

_It is as I feared. The beast hates Granger. Hates everything about her. Imagines killing her. It has this twisted yearning for her. To kill her. It hates Potter, it hates Dumbledore. It hates. So far I have been able to keep it from doing anything to Granger. But soon, soon I won't be able to hold it back. It needs some release. I just can't let it hurt Granger. I have stopped calling her by her first name. Every time I write it, speak it, it sullies it, drags it through the dirt. I won't do that to her. But I fear that if I ever wrest control away from the beast. If my  soul should ever return, I would have to live with all the things I have done, with the hate. Although I doubt very much my soul should ever return. COULD a soul return? I didn't know. But I continue to hope. Hope even though I am blind, deaf, and dumb. Even though I can't feel._

Hermione frowned

Remembering how cruelly Draco had treated her that year

Oh Draco

You can feel.

You still have your soul

You just have to find it

Hermione read with more determination.

_June 3, 2004___

_I graduated from Hogwarts on this day, or should I say the beast did. I could only watch as he received his diploma. As he sneered, as he glared at Hermione as she gave her Valedictorian speech. My heart swelled with pride for her as she mounted those steps to the podium, but the beast watched her, waiting, longing for the day when he could wrap his hands around her throat and choke the life from her. The girl who had stolen his honor. It should be HIM up there on that podium, not that filthy mudblood! Those thoughts are his, but they exist inside of me. The beast is now free to follow Voldemort all year round. To kill as many muggles as he likes. The end of the war is coming. The beast shall emerge victorious from the fray. He is slowly climbing the social, political, and slipper ladder of the Death Eater chain of command. Using cunning, charm, and ruthlessness to seize the power he desires. Soon he will be Voldemort's right hand man. The beast is furious that I remain. I no longer just exist in the darkness. I fight the darkness as it tries to swallow me every second of every day. I am growing stronger, I believe, from the constant fighting. Maybe I'll be able to escape from the darkness. _

_._

That's how he had done it!

He had fought off the darkness!

Hermione turned back to the book and began to read again.

_January 28, 2005___

_My father has finally died. He has left this earth, leaving me (legally, for it has been mine for some time.) the Malfoy fortune. Now the beast has wealth as well as power. Only one death eater stands in the way of him, and being Voldemort's right hand man. Soon the beast will dispose of him, and he will be the undisputed ruler, second in power only to Voldemort. My strength is growing. Sometimes, when the beast is tired, I can seize control for small stretches of time, but when I return to the darkness, I am exhausted, but yet I must fight, continue to fight. If I don't, even this small piece of me that remains will be devoured by the darkness. _

'Yes' Hermione thought

He had fought off the darkness in the end and returned

That had to be what had happened.

The Draco Malfoy that she had been living with for the past month had been real, he had expressed emotions

And from what Draco had described of "the beast" it didn't seem like it was capable of anything but hate, even if he was just acting

Hermione turned the page and turned her eyes back to the book

_February, 14, 2005___

_The beast has murdered the last death eater that stood between him and ultimate power, or as ultimate as he could get while still being second to Voldemort. His ambition scares me, and soon I fear, he may go after Voldemort himself. We have been tracking Dumbledore, Potter, and a large group of people who oppose Voldemort. I know that Hermione must be among them and my heart cries out for her. Every time I feel as if I am about to slide into the darkness I hear her voice and I fight with a renewed determination. The problem with me knowing where Hermione is, is now the beast also knows where she is. The beast hates her with such venom that it makes me nauseous. It longs for nothing more than to wrap its, my, hands around her neck and watch as the life fades from her large, thick lashed, sapphire eyes. Several sources have informed me that she and Potter are…intimate. I am jealous, but here in the darkness I cannot allow myself to feel such an emotion. The darkness would feed on it, and I would be destroyed. Hermione is my life preserver, but at the same time, my doom. Every time I think of her the jealousy comes…and I begin to sink. But in my darkest __mom__ents, I hear her voice, and I am bolstered. I long for her, I long to feel her skin, to see the warmth in her eyes. But this is only allowed in my imagination, for I do not know if I will ever escape from this darkness. And even if I were to escape, I doubt that it would be warmth I saw in her eyes. She believes me a killer, and I am, or my body is at least. In her eyes I would see, hate, ice, a mirror to how my own look right at this __mom__ent, the beasts eyes._

Hermione pressed a hand to her throat

She was liking this beast less and less.

He really did love her

He hadn't written it yet but…the jealousy?

The longing?

What else could it be?

She returned to the book

_May 15, 2005___

_We continue to track down the rebel faction as Voldemort's power grows. He has conquered wizarding __England__ and has set is sights on __America__, __China__, and __Bulgaria__. Soon they to will fall. _

And they soon did

As Hermione remembered America fell on June 4, 2005

China on September 8, 2005

Bulgaria on January 27, 2006, the longest to conquer of the three, strange being as how everyone considered Bulgaria a Dark Art's supporter.

_February 6, 2006___

_Today I, or should I say the beast, led a raid on a house where it was rumored the rebel faction had been staying. We came across a large group and I caught a glimpse of Hermione before __Harry__, Dumbledore, __Ron__, __Seamus__, and several others, apparated. All the people the beast really wanted dead were gone. But then he caught a glimpse of red hair, moving swiftly through groups of dueling Death Eaters and rebels the beast found Fred Weasley fighting McNair. Pushing McNair aside the beast pointed my want at Fred and sneered. I had secretly admired Fred and George for what they had done in my fifth year. I never saw that vile Umbridge woman so upset as when they set up that swamp in the middle of the hallway. But the beast despised him, he was a betrayer. He had sullied his pure blood by associating with the filthy Granger, and protecting muggles. The beast and Fred dueled. In the end Fred was tired, but the beast toyed with him. Leading him on. Playing with him. Inside I was pleading for him to finish it quickly. To not hurt __Fred__. I didn't bother asking him not to kill Fred, for the beast never let prey go. But the beast would not heed me. He finally killed Fred. A malicious smile gracing my (his) face. I am sickened, I feel myself grow weaker because I can not deal with the fact that I have killed someone I knew. I had been able to deal with the killing before because I did not know the men I (he) killed. But when I looked at Fred as the life drained out of him, I saw Ron. Then I saw Hermione. I knew that Fred's death would cause her pain and I was weakened. But I continue to fight. Fight for my humanity. I CANNOT let the beast win. I must succeed. I must find my way out of the dark and find a way to keep Hermione safe. _

Hermione blinked at the page stupidly

The beast had killed Fred

Brilliant, clever, wonderful, funny, lively Fred

He had toyed with him

He had killed him

Hermione felt her hate for Voldemort grow

_August 30, 2006___

_We are so close to finding the last of the Rebel Faction the Beast can smell them. Dumbledore is dead. The wise, kind, funny, old man is dead. Voldemort has killed him like he has so many others. And not even in a duel. Voldemort came across Dumbledore while he was unconscious, knocked out in a battle, and killed him. He couldn't kill him while he was awake, and Voldemort knew it. So being the murdering coward that he is, he killed Dumbledore while he was unconscious. And the beast watched. The death of Dumbledore had filled me with a righteous anger, and soon, soon, I will be able to fight the beast and win. I know it. I have been able to take control of my body for hours at a time, but then the beast seizes control. Soon I will slay the beast and join the rebel faction. Fight Voldemort. I know I must. Even if I will die doing it. _

He was going to join them

Help them fight Voldemort

But he hadn't

He had captured the last of the rebels

Maybe he hadn't been able to take control from the beast as soon as he had thought.

_December 31, 2006___

_Today I watched as Ron Weasley was put to death. I lost some of the strength I had been gathering to fight off the beast. I watched as McNair beheaded Hermione Granger's best friend. Never have I felt such guilt. He looked right at me, the moment before the blade fell, I saw the hate in his eyes, and I knew that that would be the same way Hermione would look at me._

NO! NO! I don't hate you

You didn't do it, the beast did

And Hermione believed this with all her heart.

_February 15, 2007_

_Word has reached us that Harry Potter, The-Boy-Who-Lived, has killed himself, and Hermione Granger has been captured. The beast crows in triumph and eagerly awaits the kill. I am scared. What if Voldemort kills her before I am able to regain control of myself? Or worse yet, What if I kill her? No. I won't think of that. I will concentrate only on gathering strength so that I may fight off the beast._

Hermione stared at the date, her fingers tracing the graceful black lettering.

The day Harry had killed himself

The day her life had ended.

Or had it just begun?

Hermione knew that she would face five months moving from dungeon to dungeon before Draco finally rescued her.

She wondered why it had taken so long.

_March 18, 2007___

_I have not yet see Hermione. I must not until I have conquered the beast. I know that the Beast would kill her. I would completely lose myself if that were to happen. I MUST not let that happen! I MUST protect Hermione at all costs, even if I have to protect her from myself. Which is what I am doing now. Voldemort expects me to capture the last of the rebels, I have only enough control over the beast to keep him from killing Hermione. I cannot keep him from going after the Rebels._

Hermione stared at the words

He had kept her alive…by killing her friends?

'No' Hermione reminded herself

'It was the beast that captured my friends. Not Draco. Draco saved me'

_June 3, 2007___

_Today the beast captured the last of the rebels. Voldemort is now completely unchallenged. He is the supreme ruler of…well…everything. I have almost enough strength to overthrow the beast, and when I do…I will rescue Hermione. I will claim her as my "reward" for capturing the rebels_

Hermione blinked.

So THAT was the reason she had been given to Draco

She had wondered

_June 9, 2007___

_I have overthrown the beast. I am now in control of my own body. It is an awkward feeling, for I have not really been in body for around four years. I have been living in the dark. Seeing again, hurts my eyes, but everything I lay eyes on is new and wondrous. It is like seeing for the first time. For the last years while I have watched the beast commit thousands of horrendous acts, I never thought they would be a part of me when I returned to my body. But how wrong I was. These hands that are now mine have killed. These eyes I now see with have watched as thousands, no millions of muggles being killed. These ears I hear with have heard the screams as they died. This brain I use to move and talk and walk to hear, to live has ordered my body to commit these acts. And it remembers each and every separate attack. I remember the hate. I now live with the hate, the guilt. Everything I have done is now a part of me. I must live with all the things I have done. Never in my life have I felt so filthy. I cannot go to Hermione like this. I must work through the guilt, the hate. I must understand how I feel before I go near her again, my feelings and the beast's are now so closely entwined I don't know which is which half the time. _

He…remembered everything he had done?

How could he live with such guilt…such pain?

'For me' Hermione answered her own question

'He had to live with it so he could save me. Maybe to atone for his sins'

_July 20, 2007___

_I understand now what I must do. I understand now who I am, what I feel. I do not hate Hermione, I hate Voldemort. I must protect Hermione, I must kill Voldemort. I am Draco Malfoy, and I am a murderer. But I must live with that. I accept it now. The beast used me. But it was still me committing these acts. I must atone for my sins. But the first thing I must do is make sure Hermione is safe._

She had been right

He HAD fought through the hate so he could save her

He did love her

She knew it

_July 21 2007___

_Today I went and rescued Hermione from Hogwarts. I have taken her to my home. Now she is safe. I have blood bonded her to me. I don't know why I did it. But the longing over came me, and I submitted to it. I love her._

Hermione felt a tear trickle down her cheek

She stood abruptly, letting the book slide from her lap onto the floor.

She had to tell him

She had to tell him that she loved him

She ran out of Draco's room, her feet pounding on the wood floors of the hall. She flew down the stairs and skidded onto the marble floors. She ran from room to room trying to find him.

Flinging open the door to his office she saw him

Seated in the red chair behind the desk

As she ran into the room

His head snapped up, his eyes wild and red rimmed, as if he had been crying

Crying?

She knew now that he could cry

That he could laugh

That he could feel joy, happiness, pain, sadness

And love

He could feel love

He really did love her

And she loved him

She could tell him and they really could live happily ever after.

She snapped back to reality as Draco spoke "What do you want Hermione?" he asked sadly

Hermione's heart swelled with joy

She opened her mouth to tell him when a large banging rang through out the house.

Hermione froze her mouth slightly open about to speak

He looked in the general direction of the front door and then back at her

She began to speak again "Draco I-" she was cut off again by the loud banging

Draco stood abruptly "I have to go answer that." He mumbled and strode out of the office towards the front door.

Draco strode resolutely towards the front door, his thoughts awhirl

What had Hermione been about to say?

_'Why didn't you stay to find out you fool?' _the little voice questioned in an annoyed tone of voice__

'Because I had been afraid to hear it' Draco admitted silently

He had sensed that she had been about to tell him something important, he had sensed it through the bond

But what if she had wanted to tell him again that she didn't love him…or that she hated him?

Or maybe that she wanted to leave.

Or something equally as bad

He reached the front door and flung it open to the dark, and pouring rain

He could just make out a shadowy outline of a man

Then suddenly a flash of lightning illuminated a face he saw in his nightmares

A face that should be under six feet of dirt

"Wha- what?" he stammered, his mind numb with shock

He heard the padding of feet as Hermione came up behind him

"Draco who's at the…" she trailed off as the man stepped into the house

His black hair sopping wet and his green eyes flashing

Hermione's sapphire eyes widened in shock

"Harry?" she said in a whisper

AN- **THE END**….No, no I'm just kidding. Hehehehe ****dodges tomatoes I wrote this in Canada…that's neat eh? Wow! That was a freaking long ass chapter. See what happens when I want to upload and I CAN'T?  Well we had a little peek into Draco's past…AND LOVE! Now I'm thinking I have three chapters left, and if you can count that means twelve chapters all together...actually because I split chapter nine into two chapters it would be like…thirteen…or if you're like me…it means that there's a story…and it has chapters…and you're not sure what all the numbers mean. grins Oh yes and as I mentioned before I am looking for Betas for my other story "From the Ground Up" if your interested please say so in your review or email me.

Oh yes to the folks who haven't been to my profile page lately, I announced my intention to not update until I have at least 33 reviews after updating. Why 33 you ask? Well let me tell you, it's because 33 people have me on their author alert thingy…actually it's more. But I have decided that it is unnecessary ego stroking and I should right for the creative release and not for reviews, I'm taking pity on you…but don't think that means you can get out of reviewing. I still want a decent amount before I update. ****sighs I really am taking pity on you all.

Draco: Snorts pity? PITY? You're not showing ME any pity! Your making me watch…THAT points at Harry and Hermione snogging in the corner I tell you I don't deserve this!

OA: Hey you two break that up pokes Harry and Hermione with pole until they stop kissing I will have none of that on my set! Besides if there is any snogging going on it will be between YOU points at Hermione and YOU points at Draco besides you're supposed to love each other…shouldn't you be practicing?

Hermione/ Draco: GAG! HEY! I CAN KISS BETTER THAN YOU CAN!

Draco: Oh please! You're like a dieing fish gasping for air

Hermione: gasps I'll have you know I am an EXCELLENT kisser…aren't I Harry? HARRY?

Harry: Don't get me involved in this

Hermione: Harry?

Harry: gulps nervously …yes?

Hermione: I HATE YOU! smacks Harry

Draco: HAHAHAHAHAH GO BITCH QUEEN SMACK SCAR FACE!!!!! WOOHOO!!!

Hermione: shut up you…you…YOU FERRET! YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO LOVE ME! kills Draco

OA: AHHHHHHHH YOU KILLED DRACO! YOU KILLED MY LEAD MAN!  Oh god oh god now I have to rewrite the script

Hermione: Is that all you care about? Your stupid story?

OA: well…I like…um…well actually yes

Hermione: ****kills author NOBODY LOVES ME!!!!!!!

Harry: Wait! Wait Hermione I love you! runs after Hermione

Draco: Stupid bitch! Why does she always do that? cracks knuckles and I so do NOT love her

OA: Hey I thought you were dead?

Draco: Oh shut up! Locks author in closet

I AM A REVIEW JUNKIE! FEED THE ADDICTION! grabs reader by lapels FEED IT!


	11. Chapter 10: Choice

AN: This was going to be a whole hell of a lot longer but…I'm soooo tired I can hardly breathe when I get home so I'm posting what I've written until I can…you know…move again. So here it is. Expect an update…soon

AN: Yes…well…here I am…still…here…cough cough…yes…well…hm. So…yes…I love you my darling reviewers. You make me so happy! I love reading the little emails that have your review on them sends them to me) I would love it if you guys would email me or IM me. Or come and read my Live Journal and comment and stuff. I would LOVE to talk to me…but of course…if YOU didn't want to talk to ME…I'd totally understand -sniffles-

DISCLAIMER:…so yep…I own Harry Potter…that's cool huh…I'm like…richer than the queen of England…I've got royalties and Tom Felton at my beck and--RING RING- -picks up telephone- "Hello this is Annie the genius behind Harry Potter…what?...Really?...oh…I see. Okay…bye" -hangs up phone - You'll never guess who that was! It was some lawyer who said he worked for some lady named JK Rowling…whoever THAT is. Well anyways apparently she is suing me. She says she owns Harry Potter -RING RING- -picks up phone- "Hello…oh…OKAY FINE jeez bye!" Okay that was the lawyer calling back…apparently she DOES own Harry Potter and is now suing me. Damn.

Randomness: I HAAAAAAAAAAAATE Junior Lifeguards, I would rather eat glass while standing on one foot singing Yankee Doodle in between bites of glass in the middle of Time Square. I told my mom that and you know what she said? "I wish I had stuff like that when I was a kid. I would have LOVED to do it" So you know what I said? I said "Well if you're so bloody excited about it why don't YOU do it." And you know what she made me do? She made me wash all the dishes even though it wasn't my day. Well fine! I'm doing the buggering Junior Lifeguards because if I hadn't I would have been grounded for like…six months and I wouldn't have gotten the wireless internet connection for my laptop…which I still don't have by the way. OH MOOOOOOOM…

Mintytoothpick: Thanks for always reviewing m'dear

Nicole-HP-fan: I'm OA…otakuannie…OtakuAnnie…or shortened to OA…see? It's fun and easy! I want a snake sooooo bad but my grandma is like…phobic so my mom won't let me get one. I have two cats Tigger and Leo

The-sexy-flower: YAY! Thanks so much! I don't need a Beta for Tears of an Innocent because I'm basically done (I'm lying through my teeth) and I won't be writing anything more for From the Ground Up until Tears is finished so…like…in a month of two I'll be ready to send you some stuff. Could you leave me your email address?

Ginny Weasley: Yes she was. It made you cry? AWESOME! I mean not awesome that you were crying but it's awesome that my writing made you cry…and not from it's badness but just from the way I wrote it! You make me feel like such a good little fan fic writer

Blusky: -runs around in circles with you- OMG YAY!

Haystack8190: MWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA I so am!

Chibimecools: heheheHAHA…MWAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAH

V-Queen: MWAHAHAHAHAH…you know who's really sadistic? All lifeguards. Not me and my innocent –cough cough- cliffies

Malleana: HAHAHAHA! Wow loooong review! Did you know that there was actually a really long Draco scene when he was talking to Theodore Nott and they were reflecting on Harry and the Death Eaters, in the original book five, but JK Rowling cut it? AHHHHHHHHH –rips hair out-…I wonder if she'll send it to me? I'm sorry the trophy is you're for forever but Draco is, and always will be, MINE!

Teralyn: And you've only just reviewed??? Shame! JK! I guess the threats really do work…hm…

DarkAngelB: yes I will help you with the floppy disk thing…but that will only work if the computer you wrote it on and the computer you want to transfer it to are both PC's. I like Harry…just not in fanfics

Sum girl--;;: right now J

Chapter Ten: Choice

_We do have choice, but not without some agony_

_ Josephine Hart_

"Harry?" Hermione whispered

Her eyes wide with disbelief

Harry turned towards her, away from where Draco stood by the door

His unruly black hair was sopping wet and hanging in his eyes, his green eyes were warm, alive, in fact the only sign he had been dead for six, almost seven, months was the unnatural pallor of his skin.

But other than that he seemed solid

He stood a good four or five inches over Draco and more than a foot over Hermione herself

His imposing figure was made even more so by the sense of power emanating from his skin

Draco narrowed his eyes, a power that, while still his own, was faintly tainted, as if he had been aided by an outside force, and that assisting aurora was so familiar…he just couldn't quite remember who…

Harry moved out of the door way into the entry hall where the green and white marble flooring was gathering more and more water as the rain lashed in from the open door and from Harry himself as he stood dripping.

Harry took another long stride towards where Hermione stood frozen

Draco frowned

His knuckles white as he gripped the heavy gold knob tightly

"Hermione." Harry breathed

Hermione took a step back, her face pale and her hand pressed to her heart

"H-how?" she stuttered

Harry's green eyes narrowed as he studied her

Taking in the sight of her mussed hair

The forest green dress robes, one of many that Draco had given her several weeks ago, that was wrinkled from when she had been sitting on the bed

Draco slammed the door and broke Harry's concentration, bringing his attention back to Draco

"Has HE" Harry sneered the last word "Been taking good care of you?"

Draco filled away for later the fact that Harry had evaded the question of how he had been brought back

Hermione continued to stare at Harry in shock

- - - - - - - - - - - -

::::::::::

Draco studied the two lovers as they stood, face to face with each other

He felt his heart break at the sight of them

How could Hermione choose him over the man she had loved since…since they were children?

How could his love compare to the love of her Perfect Potter

The-boy-who-lived-to-ruin-Draco's-life

Now that he was back Draco didn't have a chance

But he continued to stay and watch

There was something…something about Harry that didn't seem right

'Besides the fact that he's supposed to be dead?' the little voice asked 'Don't kid yourself. You just want something to be wrong with him so you can have Hermione. You're making it up' The little voice sure had become depressing since his heart had been ground to dust…oh wait…that was a good enough reason as any to be depressed

:::::::::::::::::

Hermione continued to gape in shock but Harry's eyes were sharp, alert, whilst they studied Hermione

Drinking in the sight of her

Feasting his eyes on the woman he loved

The woman he left

Finally Hermione seemed capable of string a few sentences together "I don't understand! You're…back?" she queried

"Yes love, I'm back." He whispered

Hermione reached out a trembling hand and placed it gently on Harry's cheek, taking a step forward, she had to crane her head to meet Harry's beautiful, spring green eyes.

Harry raised his own hand and placed it over Hermione's much smaller one so it was trapped against his cheek

Draco closed his eyes in pain, recognizing the action as one that lovers repeated so many times it became second nature, they probably didn't even know they were doing it.

Hermione gently withdrew her hand, but Harry continued to hold onto it as she dropped it down to her side

Harry looked at her face, studied the gaunt shadows of her face, the thin, undernourished look of her body, still noticeable despite the rich quality of the robes she wore, the haunted, confused look in her eyes "Has Mal-Ferret harmed you?" he asked, a hard edge in his voice

Hermione shook her head "Of course he hasn't!" she exclaimed

Harry stared at her intently searching her face for some sign that she was lying

Harry shook his head "For some reason I don't believe that." He said softly

He turned his head to where Draco stood in the corner

Draco managed a weak half smile

He gave a graceful bow

"Your trust in me is admirable." He sneered

Harry pointedly turned his back on Draco

"You don't have to lie Hermione…I won't let him hurt you." Harry promised

Hermione shook her head "Harry…he hasn't hurt me…he's been very kind-" Harry interrupted with a short bark of derisive laughter

"Kind, Hermione? Kind? This is Draco MALFOY we're talking about here. Kind isn't in his vocabulary."

Hermione shook her head "No Harry, He's changed."

::::::::::::::::::::::::

Draco's icy blue eyes narrowed

Why did she say that?

Wasn't this the same girl who just finished telling him that he couldn't love or feel? That he was cold and evil?

What had made her say that he had changed?

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::;;;;

Harry snorted "You DO realize who you're talking about right? Draco MALFOY-" Draco interrupted smoothly

"I think she knows who I am…you HAVE pointed it out SEVERAL times…she probably got it the first time…she's not as slow as you."

Harry continued as if Draco had never spoken "Draco MALFOY, Voldemort's right hand man, the man who has, if not killed than ordered the death of thousands of muggles. He ordered the death of Ron. He killed Fred. He's done horrible things. How can you say he's been kind?"

Draco snorted from the corner where he stood "You're talking as if you WANTED me to hurt Hermione."

Harry turned around and stared at Draco in shock

Draco stared back "What?" he finally asked

Harry answered "You called her Hermione." His voice colored with shock

Draco blinked "It's her name isn't it?"

Harry shook his head "Yes but….never mind." He turned back to Hermione

"So you're not hurt?" he asked softly

"No" she whispered "I'm fine." She stared at Harry intently

Draco clenched his fists, trying to repress the surge of jealousy he felt at the look in her eyes

'Why can't she look at ME like that?' the little voice that was still remained persistently in his head screamed in agony

But for once Draco agreed with the little voice

He would have given her everything to have her look at him with half the adoration and affection with which she bestowed on Harry

Oh wait…he HAD given her everything, his heart, his home, his pride…it seemed that no matter what he gave her he still didn't measure up to Potter

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Hermione's mind was numb with shock

Her stomach churning with indecision

And her mind…her mind was in turmoil

She didn't understand how he could be back

And now…now when she was ready to move on

Ready to tell Draco how she felt…

Draco

How could she tell him…tell him now that Harry was back?

Harry the man that she had promised her future to

Promised her self to

She couldn't stay here with Draco when Harry was still alive

But…she LOVED Draco…but she loved Harry as well

Had loved him longer

How could she choose between them?

Because that was what she would inevitably have to do…choose

Choose between the two men she loved

One whom she had loved before she understood the meaning of the word

And one who…she understood, connected with, pitied, loved, hated

One who left her

And one who never stopped thinking of her

Draco…or Harry?

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Harry's voice brought Hermione back to the present

"Hermione…love? We need to leave…are you ready?"

Hermione blinked, staring at Harry uncomprehending

"I…I don't understand…Leave?" her voice was hesitant, scared, tremulous

"What? You didn't think we could stay HERE did you?" Harry scoffed

Hermione blinked "I…no." Hermione said slowly "I guess we can't."

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Draco closed his eyes against the pain

Of course THEY couldn't

But she could

She could stay here with him

But of course she would never do that

Never give up Potter

HOW?

How was it he was back?

Alive?

And why now?

When he finally had Hermione

When he finally told her how he felt

He showed up

But he couldn't understand how

How could he be alive?

He was supposed to be dead

Hermione's voice brought him back into the moment, back into the present where his heart was being ground to dust

"I…Harry…I still don't…I still don't understand how it is that you're here…alive." Hermione's voice was hesitant, still colored with shock

Draco almost grinned at Hermione's discomfort

It looked like he wasn't the ONLY one who had received a nasty little shock

Draco did a quick double take

Hermione didn't look happy

Happy…no definitely not happy

She looked…confused…torn

But how could she not be happy?

Hadn't she just looked happy?

Her darling Potter was alive and well

…was it possible that she did love him?

Love him and not Harry?

That she had been about to tell him…back there in the office

Draco mentally smacked himself for opening the door

Oh no he couldn't have just ignored the knocking, heard her profession of love, reassured her of his feelings and then made passionate love on the floor

…okay well probably not the last part…Hermione was such a prude!

Of course he could be making it up…seeing only what he wanted to see

Draco closed his eyes

Draco tried to fight away the feelings of jealousy, failed, but looked again anyways

Draco opened his eyes and studied Hermione's face intently

No she definitely looked…uncomfortable…to say the least

No the expression on Hermione's face would have been comical if the circumstances hadn't been so dire

'She looks rather like Crabe the time he had accidentally eaten a dungbomb' Draco mused 'Although how the dungbomb had showed up in his box of Bertie Bott's every flavored beans still escapes me…oh wait that was right' Draco grinned 'I had put it there. Tsk tsk…silly me'

But all joking aside she really did look mildly ill

Could it be that she really wasn't happy about Harry being back?

But hadn't she just been?

The look on her face when she finally realized that Harry was back had been…full of joy, confused joy, but joy none the less

It was after…after Harry mentioned leaving that she looked unhappy

Leave

Did she not want to leave?

Didn't want to leave with Harry

Or just didn't want to leave him?

:::::::::::::::::::::::::

Hermione's mind reeled

Leave?

How could she leave?

Leave Draco?

Leave the man she loved?

But…it was the other man she loved asking her TO leave

This was all so ruddy confusing!

She had known she would have to choose the moment she saw Harry…but she wasn't expecting it to be this soon

Harry was forcing her to choose before she was ready

'Well what did you expect girl? That Harry would want to hang around here with Draco. Maybe have a nice chat over a cup of tea while we're at it' the little voice commented sarcastically

But he was asking her to choose now

Before she had had time to come to grips with the fact that he was back

Alive

How could he be alive?

She was so happy that he was…and yet…it would have been so much simpler if he had just stayed dead

Hermione's stomach heaved

How could she think such a thing?

Of course she didn't want Harry to be dead

She was ecstatic he was alive…and yet

Draco

She loved Draco

She loved Harry

While the emotional part of Hermione was in turmoil her cool, logical, half kept circling back to one question

How could Harry be alive?

So doing what women have done since the dawn of man she blithely ignored Harry's question and asked her own

"I still don't understand how you can be alive." She said calmly, trying to mask her emotions under normal circumstances both men in the room knew her to well to fall for the old "Answer a question with a question routine" however Harry had always been rather oblivious to the subtle nuances of the female and didn't quite catch on. Draco, however, still being Slytherin and a rather well practiced player caught on immediately and couldn't help but smile in triumph

Maybe she was going to choose him after all

Harry did not take to kindly to Hermione's statement and his countenance grew a wee bit blustery before he changed tactics and he screwed his face up into what he hoped was a kind, caring, gentle face

"Does it really matter how I got back as long as I'm here? I'm ready to start our life over again. I'm ready to be with you again."

Hermione, who harbored a soft spot on her heart for Harry underneath all the bookishness and ice princess demeanor immediately fell for his ploy and completely ignored the part of her that was asking questions and making comments

'We wouldn't have to start over again if you hadn't left.'

'Why did you leave?'

'How is it that you're alive?'

'Something about him just doesn't seem right.'

Hermione pushed all her doubts to the back of her mind and forced herself to smile at Harry, ignoring the doubt and indecision clawing at her belly

This was the man she loved

Had loved since she had first seen him on the train over the top of "Hogwarts a History"

Had mourned for when he had died

Who was she to question what whim of fate had brought him back?

So what if he had taken his own life?

So what if he was asking her to leave the only security she had found since the war had started?

It was Harry

And she loved him

'But you love Draco to!' the little voice popped up

But it was Harry

'But it was Draco.'

And how could she be sure what she was feeling for Draco was really love?

'How can you be sure what you're feeling for Harry is love? How do you know it's not just you hanging on to what you know…to what you think is safe? Plus you were sure you loved Draco not ten minuets ago.' The little voice said with indisputable logic

But Harry

Harry was back

She felt obligated to go with him

'And what about Draco?' the little voice had a one track mind

Draco…

Well…chances were he didn't love her

'Are we back on this? He can love. You know that now. He LOVES you' the little voice said with obvious disgust for Hermione's constantly shifting perception

But Hermione's mushy, emotional, eternally romantic side won out, for once, over the coolly logically, in love with Draco part of her.

She had made her decision

And that decision was what it always was before

Harry

She had given up every thing to be with him before, and she would do so again, now.

She stepped foreward, and viciously squashing the little voice she captured Harry's other hand in hers.

She forced herself to smile, albeit it was a weak, watery smile, but it was still a smile, and Harry returned it enthusiastically

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

"You're right Harry" she said quietly "who am I to question what brought you back?" here Harry winced slightly "I'm ready to go when you are."

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Voldemort stood from where he had been bent over the scrying glass and howled in triumph

It had worked

Harry was going to lead Hermione away and then Voldemort would be able to take control of him from there.

Voldemort brought his eyes back to the misty moving figures in the glass and prepared to cast the spell…at the opportune moment of course.

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Draco's heart broke into a thousand silver pieces that pierced his chest cavity and caused such pain Draco was surprised he wasn't bleeding

His eyes began to swim but he held his head high, with dignity he watched as Harry embraced Hermione, took her hand, and led her from the room

Just as they were about to leave Hermione turned her head back and he looked into her deep blue eyes for the last time.

The door slammed behind them as they left, and, upon hearing that noise Draco fell to his knees, with his arms wrapped around himself he rocked slowly, his back heaving with repressed sobs

He wouldn't let the tears fall

Because if he did…that would admit she was really gone

Gone from him

He wouldn't cry

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Harry kept a tight grip on Hermione's hand as he half lead; half dragged her across the green hills towards the dark, towering, rather threatening looking forest at the edge of the Malfoy land.

The rain pounded down on them and Hermione was regretting not bringing a cloak

The dread in Hermione's stomach, and the sense of foreboding she felt were growing stronger with every step she took, every step that lead her farther and farther away from Malfoy manor…from Draco.

In face Hermione was having a harder time trying to squash the little voice that was screaming doubts and suspicions

In fact Hermione's legs were beginning to shake from the effort she had to exert just to walk away from Draco.

Suddenly she couldn't do it anymore.

At the edge of the forest she stopped.

Harry turned and looked back at her, quirking and eyebrow in question

"Harry?" she asked tentatively

"Yes?" he responded

"Could…could you kiss me?" she asked quietly

Harry's brows drew together in thought

"Uh…sure Hermione." He said uncertainly "but…if you don't mind me asking…Why?"

Hermione fidgeted nervously "I just want to find something out…okay?"

"Alright" Harry said, still puzzled

Hermione placed her hands on his shoulders and pressed her lips, wet with rain, to his own cold, wet lips

Hermione waited for that feeling of floating away that she had felt when she had kissed Draco…but it didn't come

Hermione moved her hands from his shoulders, and wrapped her arms around Harry's neck instead, desperately trying to recreate that feeling

Harry placed his hands on Hermione's waist, not questioning her fervency…he was still, despite the fact he was the-boy-who-just-damn-well-wouldn't-die, a man, and at a certain point a man begins to stop thinking with their brain and think more below the waist.

Hermione took the kiss deeper, searching franticly for just a sliver of the pleasure she had felt with Draco…but she couldn't find it

No where

She tore her lips from Harry's and took a step back, away from the forest

She understood now

She didn't love Harry the way she once had

She loved Draco

Her heart filled with warm joy and she could see, with crystal clarity, what she had to do

She had to go back to Draco

::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Draco's head snapped up

The warmth that Hermione had felt echoed through him

The shards of his heart pieced back together

And he stood

He threw his head back and laughed, long and hard

Hermione loved him

And she was coming back

:::::::::::::::::::::::::

"Now!" whispered Voldemort and he cast the spell

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

"I'm sorry Harry." Hermione whispered sadly "I can't go with you."

She looked at Harry, wanting to see if he could understand

She saw a flash of pain right before his eyes glowed red

"I'm afraid I can't let you do that my dear." A sibilant voice hissed

A voice that Hermione recognized from her nightmares

Before Hermione could turn to run Harry's hand seized her wrist and began to drag her into the forest

"DRACO!" She screamed

…but Draco couldn't hear her over the joy in his heart

AN: Alright that was Chapter Ten. I'm almost finished! So we have three more chapters that's fourteen chapters in total if you count chapter nine part two…which I am since is. I can't believe my first fic is almost finished wipes tear from eye I'm so proud of myself.

OA: (oh yes for you peeps who didn't know OA stands for OtakuAnnie. Yes…get it?) Well…when I'm done with this fic I'm going to finish writing From the Ground Up another Hermione/ Draco fic…actually I wanted to write a Hatsuharu/Thoru and a Wendy/Captain Hook…although I kind of want to do a Ginny/Tom Riddle fic…but I'm not sure if I can write several stories at once, the updates would definitely be longer apart but…I HAVE SUCH AMAZING IDEAS!!!!!!

Draco: stares at OA aghast you…have…absolutely…NO LIFE!

OA:…well no SOCIAL life…but I AM breathing…which for me is quite the accomplishment considering it's summer. OMG my school starts August 30th! I DON'T WANT TO GO!!!!!!! Although I am happy because I'm starting a new school and leaving all the Twinkies at my old school behind YES!

Draco: SHUT UP!...God don't you EVER stop talking?

OA:…sometimes I have to stop to catch my breath (does that count?)

Draco: AHHHHHHHH God I hate you!

OA: baby I don't care if you hate me…I still get to write about you any way I want…maybe I'll write a smut scene with you and me!

Draco: shudders I…would…kill…you

OA: …but who wants to read about me…no one…plus it would be like…porn or something…although technically a lot of fics ARE porn…I just can't do it…my privet school inhibitions are staying with me

Hermione: stops kissing Harry long enough to look at author how was it? Was it different than public school? Was the teaching style different? Did you wear uniforms?

OA: oh god! The world's ugliest plaid skirts-

Draco: disembowels author to shut her up, locks her in a trunk and leaves her in the alley for the trash man to pick up in the morning

Hermione: giggles Hey I wanted to hear about the ugly skirts

Draco: Oh shut up and go back to snogging your bloody Potter

Hermione: Okay…but I am not doing it because you told me to snoggs Harry

OA: ewwww make it stop mommy!

REVIEW or I will sick my army of flying monkeys on you…and if you escape them than the Magical Dust Bunny Squad will take care of you.


	12. Chapter 11: Struggles

AN: Inspired by all the reviewers (and threats on my life) I worked on Chapter Eleven even though I would rather have been sleeping, damn you all. So here it is. And before we begin I'd like to say a few words, and they are: Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak!

To The Reviewers: You have no idea how happy it makes me to receive such enthusiastic and loyal responses! I never expected to get so many reviews, and all of you have made me so very, very happy! I never understood how much a review would mean to an author until I became one myself, and I can tell you all there's nothing quite like getting reviews! They make me ecstatic and peppy and bouncy (SCARY!) and I'm inspired to write more. So you guys are my inspiration and I dedicate this chapter and every one after it (unless I say otherwise) to my reviewers. (Oh my god gag me! I'm getting all sentimental)

Nicole-HP-fan: I want a snake. A little green gardener snake. DAMN YOU ALL! Everyone else starts in SEPTEMBER and I have to go in AUGUST AHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!

Oreopet: thanks for reviewing! I KNOW Voldemort is an ickle Podunk…but don't worry he'll get his eventually

Haystack8190: Oh no you won't bizznatch! I'd kill you if you stopped reviewing –tries to look threatening but fails miserably as author is still wearing bunny slippers and her pajamas-

Corditheoddball: Yes I know I've seen it! I laughed for sooo long, Dr. Pepper came out of my nose…although that may have been because of something my darling Sally was doing…hm…can't remember. Thailand? AWESOME! I want to go! I love internet cafes! They are just so cool! Except the one where I live has lots of creepy middle aged men named Roy who are looking at Porn…so…scary

DarkAngelB: Yes my love the sleep over was awesome! Must do again with Rosie and Barbeque flavored chips…and Dr. Pepper…nothings better Dr. Pepper

LegolasEStelstar: hehe Draco is a schizo! Split personality is like…the understatement of the year. CONGRATULATIONS –Hermione gives you a big pretty plaque to hang on your wall- I love that line to by the way I was giggling while I wrote it

Oni Tenchi: Nope you haven't reviewed before! Bad you! Young? YOUNG? I've been writing fanfics longer than you've been alive Sonny! Er…not really. Thanks for FINALLY reviewing! Just kidding

RnB Diva Gurl: here it is you faithful reviewer you

Bob: Love your name. My imaginary friend's name is bob, not to be confused with my muse whose name is…muse. Bob isn't very helpful when if comes to writing but he's great for some laughs.

The-sexy-flower: okay! Here it is! Thanks so much for reviewing and offering to beta! I heart you sooo much

Ginny Weasley: Yes…hehehe! Thanks for always reviewing! You've been with me since the beginning of this madness and…I'm eternally grateful

Chibimecools: Damn you! –kills- BUT I GET OUT EARLIER SO THERE!

Dershana: thanks and…to all your questions…plot…damn it to hell

Awww: I don't like caps either but spell check gets it for me so YAY! And Beauty and the Beast? An interesting take but Goustan is so…yicky!

Ashley: I didn't know what I'd do either which is why it was so hard to write

Allayne: FOOD! –munches happily- meep! Don't kill me!

Chapter Eleven: Struggles

"The strongest have their moments of fatigue"

n Friedrich Nietzsche

Hermione struggled and pleaded mightily

She dug her heels into the ground

She screamed

She kicked

She clawed at Harry's hand with her own

Raking her nails across his pale skin, she drew blood

The ruby liquid gleamed in the pale moonlight that filtered in through the trees

She tripped on a root and fell to her knees

But Harry continued on, not stopping, simply dragging her on her knees behind him until she could gain her feet, not turning and looking at her

Something for which Hermione was extremely grateful

She didn't want to see those eyes,

Those glowing crimson eyes

Voldemort's eyes

Harry continued to plow through the forest

Hermione's quick mind was calculating while her body struggled to break free of Harry, no, Voldemort's iron grasp

Voldemort was controlling Harry, that much was obvious

But how?

How was it that Voldemort had been able to seize control of Harry like that?

It must have something to do with how Harry came back

Voldemort must have brought Harry back

But…that didn't explain how Voldemort could be controlling Harry

Hermione stumbled over another root, but Harry continued to drag her forward

Hermione gasped to bring air into her straining lungs, a contrast to how evenly Harry, no, Voldemort was breathing

When you bring somebody back to life, they have free will

And Harry couldn't be controlled by the Imperius curse

Maybe…well it WAS Voldemort we're talking about here, maybe it had something to do with dark magic?

If he had somehow changed the process used to bring Harry back that made him WEAKER, Voldemort could probably control him then

But what….?

Hermione's mind suddenly leapt to the answer.

It was obvious

Voldemort simply used HIS power to bring Harry back, instead of a sacrifice's

Then when Harry had her, Voldemort had taken his power back, leaving Harry weak, and susceptible to the Imperius curse

Hermione would have smacked herself if she hadn't been so busy trying to keep one foot in front of the other

Why hadn't she noticed Voldemort's power tainting Harry's?

'You did' the little voice whispered 'but you were so busy drooling over Harry you chose to overlook it'

Hermione almost smacked herself again

The little voice ALWAYS had the answer

If she had listened to it in the first place she never would have been in this predicament

But at least…at least it would take them several weeks to reach Voldemort

…that was if he was still at Hogwarts

Maybe…in that time…Draco would come for her

Or…she'd be able to escape on her own

Hermione continued to stumble after Harry, tripping over roots and the tattered hem of her dress robe

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

Draco paced nervously around the entry hall

Walking through the puddles that the house elves had yet to mop up with out batting an eyelash

He raked a shaky hand through his white blonde hair and stepped over a house elf who was bent on cleaning up the puddles strait ahead of him

The elf squeaked and raced ahead of him to clean up another puddle directly in his path

'Where was she?' thought Draco

She had been gone for two hours

An hour and a half ago she had realized she loved him

He had realized she was coming back

But…why wasn't she here yet?

Was it possible that Harry hadn't let her come back?

Draco clenched his hands into fists

That was possible but…Hermione could wrap Harry around her little finger so easily…hadn't he seen her do it countless times back at Hogwarts?

But then again…

Something hadn't right about Harry

His…power had been tainted

Draco was sure of it

And he recognized the power…so being that he recognized the power it must have come from someone he knew…one of his "friends" so knowing his "friends" the power wasn't a good thing

Draco stopped dead in his tracks and the house elf that had been following him around trying to clean his shoes ran into the back of his legs and fell to the floor

Squeaking its apology, which Draco waved off, the elf rose to its feet and began to polish Draco's boots, trying to get the muddy water off of them

Was it possible that Harry was being controlled?

But…no….Harry wasn't susceptible to the Imperius cures, and if there were any other ways to control someone HE would certainly know of them

Nonetheless something had been wrong with Harry

And Hermione had yet to return

But he couldn't do anything…he had no idea where Potty was taking Hermione, and, though their link was still intact it was severely weakened,

H e couldn't tell where she was, now that she had left him willingly, and Draco had let her go, he wouldn't be able to sense anything through the link but extreme emotions,

And all he could sense was fatigue which could just as likely come from him as from her.

Their souls had begun to separate; yes they would always be bound but…now they were no longer one.

It was painful

Like the pain still resonating in his recently pieced together heart

She would come back

Draco could do nothing but wait…and hope

He continued to pace and the elf squeaked in outrage as Draco ruined his handy work by walking through yet another puddle

XOXOXOXOXOXOXO

Hermione was so busy plotting she didn't even realize that Harry/ Voldemort had stopped until she ran into the back of him

Hermione let out a startle meep before falling on her rear end

Standing up she rubbed the offended appendage and glared daggers at Harry/Voldemort

It was then that Hermione realized Harry/ Voldemort had released her wrist

Hermione stared at the bruises forming on her wrist blankly for a moment before she began to edge away from him

The voice stopped her "I wouldn't do that if I were you" it hissed

Hermione stopped dead in her tracks

Harry/ Voldemort moved from where he had been standing and headed unerringly for a clump of bushes at the base of a tall tree

Hermione took another step back 'What was he doing?' she thought to herself

Harry/Voldemort stood from where he was crouched next to the bushes and turned, his red eyes glittering in the darkness

It was then that Hermione saw what was in his hand…a portkey

She wasn't quite sure how she knew it was a portkey…she just did

For one, why else would there be a silver dagger with a ruby encrusted blade out in the middle of a forest on Malfoy land?

Hermione gasped, she recognized the blade

She clenched her right hand into a fist, feeling the ridge of the scar the marred the skin of her palm

That was the dagger that Voldemort had used to blood bond her to Draco

Her heart skipped a beat at the thought of Draco

He wouldn't know…wouldn't know that she wanted to come back

He wouldn't be able to rescue her

And if she touched that portkey she would never be able to escape

Although seeing the dagger would have confirmed her suspicions that Voldemort was controlling Draco if she hadn't already known it

…glowing red eyes did dispense with all secrecy

Hermione couldn't let herself be taken to where ever it was the portkey would hurl them off to

She turned to run as Harry/Voldemort advanced another pace

She made four steps before Harry/Voldemort's arm was wrapped securely around her waist

Before she could scream Harry/Voldemort had activated the portkey

Hermione experienced the now familiar sensation that 'a hook just behind her navel had been suddenly jerked irresistibly foreword' (AN: I stole it from HPatGoF MWAHAHAHHAHAHHAHAHA…I am SO bad…no really I am…for one I'm writing fanfics…for two I'm INTURUPTING the fanfic I'm writing with pointless babble and three…because I eat ice cream when it's cold out…well…as cold as southern California gets…oh! Oh! And because I will ALWAYS end with a cliffie…and that is why this author is evil heheh…you know you love me)

And than all of a sudden her feet made sudden and abrupt contact with the ground and she fell to her already bruised and scratched knees with Harry/Voldemort draped across her

Cursing she shoved him off and stood up, her legs shaking

She looked up and immediately recognized the Hogwarts' great hall.

Then Harry/Voldemort was standing next to her and once again captured her wrist and began dragging her up the moving stair case

The stair case that lead to the third floor

The stair case with the disappearing step

Hermione began to plot…again…actually she never stopped plotting just paused momentarily

If she could somehow push Harry so that his foot landed in the trick step she could make a break for the doors

She knew exactly how many steps where left before the trick one and she began to count down in her head

The timing had to be perfect

20 steps to go…15…10…nine…eight…almost there…five…four…three…two…NOW

Hermione pretended to trip on the stair before the trick one and shoved Harry/ Voldemort with all her might

Harry stumbled and his leg fell through the stair case leaving him trapped in a rather uncomfortable position

Hermione wrenched her wrist from his slackened grip and tore off down the stairs toward freedom

She was almost to the door, she was reaching for the handle when a man coalesced from the shadows and seized her around her tiny waist

Struggling she looked up, right into the face that tormented her nightly

Voldemort's face

The crimson eyes that she had seen moments before on Harry's face were now set in a snakelike countenance that sent shivers down her spine

She tried to wrestle herself away from him, but his grip stayed true and he held her firmly, then he shoved her away from him, away from the door, and onto the floor

He grinned coldly, his eyes raking across her body "_Petrificus Totalus_" he whispered "I think you'll have a nice view of the action from there"

Hermione rolled her eyes wildly, trying to break the spell, but her body remained rigid, the only thing she still COULD use was her eyes which were now flickering form Voldemort to Harry to the door, to the ceiling and then back to Voldemort.

"Harry" he hissed "come"

Harry who had managed to pull his leg from the gap came down the stairs, his crimson eyes a mirror of Voldemort's own

Voldemort muttered something under his breath which Hermione couldn't quite make out and Harry's eyes turned green again

Harry's eyes were glazed with confusion and slightly dazed, his eyes fell on Hermione's rigid form and her fear filled eyes, and comprehension dawned

Harry took a threatening step foreword, toward Voldemort "You bastard!" he hissed, his green eyes flashing

Voldemort chuckled softly "Poor naïve Harry. You didn't REALLY think I brought you back for no purposed did you?" he queried in a cold, high pitched voice

Harry clenched his hands into tightly balled fists

He took another menacing step foreword and Voldemort raised his wand so it was pointed right smack dab in the middle of Harry's forehead, aimed directly at the scar, the permanent evidence that he, Lord Voldemort, had once failed

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

Draco sat down with a heavy thump on the bottom stair, staring fixedly, patiently and somewhat dejectedly at the door

She wasn't coming

No, no she was

He would continue to wait her arrival here, patiently

But every minuet, every hour that ticked by on the disgustingly ornate grandfather clock on one of the walls, proclaimed him a liar

Draco itched to reach into his pocket and pull out his wand and just innocently, sweetly, kindly, blow the blasted clock to smithereens

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO

"I finally get to end your infernal life! You have no idea how long I've waited for this." Voldemort whispered coldly and then, right in front of Hermione's shocked, disbelieving and pain filled eyes he whispered

"Avada Kedavra" A blinding flash of green light filled the great hall and Harry crumpled

His beautiful forest green eyes, blank, dead

Hermione would have screamed if she could open her mouth, but alas, all she could do was clench her eyes tightly shut as the tears leaked from their corners

A fear greater than any she had known before filled her as she finally accepted it

She would die

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

Draco had just risen to find a house elf to make him a buggering cup of coffee when a wave of fear, so staggering, so immense that when he hit him he doubled over in agony.

He fell to his knees, his hands clawing at his chest and stomach, foolishly attempting to rip the feeling from him

When the feeling abated and he was left feeling hallow, he raised his head his grey eyes glinting with a fraction of the terror that he had just experienced

Hermione was in trouble

With this one coherent thought playing over and over in his mind he stood

Running across the entry hall he summoned a cloak and threw it on before dashing head long into the pouring rain

As he raced across the grounds towards the forest, in the direction he had seen Hermione and Harry take he could form only one thought,

Hermione was in trouble, and he had to rescue her

AN: Well…there it is folks…this was actually supposed to be part of chapter Ten but…Annie is sleepy…so very sleepy. I can't post it now anyways because is experiencing technical difficulties and I can't log in. I have a new little ficlet posted called "Carpe Noctum" Which means seize the light. I may elaborate on what I have posted but I'm not so sure. So two more chapters to go and we are finished. Done. Over. Kaput. Can you imagine? They will be rather long chapters…maybe. I don't know yet. So…

Draco: HAHAHAHAHAH YES! He's dead he's gone no more snogging he's dead he's gone no more snogging he's dead he's gone no more snogging…-continues on in that vein for quiet some time-

Hermione: -grabs OA by the throat- YOU…EVIL…HORRIBLE…DESPICABLE…PIECE…OF…FILTH! HOW DARE YOU KILL HIM??? HOW? DARE? YOU? –beats author into a bloody pulp-

OA: -from heap on floor- …plot

Hermione: -stomps on author until she is sure the author is quite dead or at least comatose, Draco watches with undisguised glee-

OA: please…review…oh the pain! –Hermione continues to stomp in a manner that would make any boy scout proud-


	13. Chapter 12: You

Disclaimer: You know I used to wonder why people never asked me for autographs…I mean I am the amazing brilliant genius who wrote Harry Potter. But then one day I was telling this kid how I wrote the books and he didn't believe me…he said some gal named JK Rowling wrote it. Go figure.

To The Reviewers: Well. Here we are again. I was just wondering…was my last chapter really that bad? I mean…I got like…NO reviews. Well I did get reviews…but not as many as I usually get…oh well. I love you all! ::tacklehugs::

Geekofyerdreams: It was short huh? But…oh well this is a nice long one…twenty pages in word…enjoy

SailorPPearl: hehehe…you think THAT cliffie was bad just wait till you read THIS one

Malleana: Yup…something like that

DarkAngelB: YAY! I'm happy you and Rose read it. Here is the update, I like Harry…just not in fanfics

Allayne: What? No death threats? I'm disappointed with you…JK!

Oreopet: Yah…those are my feelings on the HP cast as well

Dershana: I'm glad SOMEONE appreciates my sense of humor

Sk8erpunkGCpnay: No you didn't review…but that's is being a bum

Draco-and-Jack-lover: Thank you so much! Here's the update

V-queen: You go Girl Scout! Don't be mean to my man! I'll have to get yah! Just Kidding

LegolasEstelstar: Nothing wrong with getting emotional! I love being emotional!

Awwww: I'm sure they have computers in heaven…and if they don't…I'm NOT going. Well…I'm probably not going ANYWAYS but let's not get into that

Oni Tenchie: ;; I was just kidding…jeez

Bluesky: Well…here it is! Hope I keep you on the edge of your seat ::winks:: it means I'm doing a good job

Teralyn: and reviews make me happy!

Chapter Twelve: You

_Out on the road between nowhere and hell I caught a glimpse of my reflection in you _

_-Er…not quite sure actually _

Voldemort walked around Hermione's prone form, twirling his wand in his long, skeletal fingers

Occasionally he would give a high pitched cackle, but so far he hadn't touched her or spoken to her since Harry's return to the after life

He also had yet to remove the full body bind curse he had performed on her

So Hermione lay, stiff as a board on her back, her eyes following Voldemort's every move

Voldemort came to an abrupt halt and turned those, crimson, hate filled eyes to her

"Finally alone, eh my dear?" he hissed as he aimed his wand at Hermione

A flash of red light was followed by a cold, high pitched laugh

XOXOXOXOX

Draco's feet fought for purchase on the muddy slope

He struggled up the steep incline, his heart pounding

He had to find her

He had to find Hermione

Something was wrong

Draco reached flat land and took of at a run towards the forest

He had to find her

He couldn't let her get hut

He HAD to protect her

XOXOXOXOX

When Hermione came to she found herself once again in the dungeons of Hogwarts

Except this time she was chained to a wall

Rusty shackles were clamped tightly around her wrists and ankles

Their chains bolted firmly to the damp stone wall behind her, giving her only enough slack so that she could sit, with her arms up, and slightly bent at the elbows

That however, was not the position Hermione awoke in

Hermione was on her bruised knees, kneeling on the unforgiving stone of the cell, leaning as far foreword as the shackles around her wrist would allow and her head hanging limply.

All and all, she was not very comfortable

Hermione stood, wincing at the needle sharp pains in her legs

Her hazy mind struggled to remember…to remember…

Hermione gasped

Harry

She let out a low moan and sank to the cold stone floor

How could it have happened?

Again?

Hermione waited for the tears to come

But they never did

Hermione raised an inquisitive hand to her cheeks only to find them dry

She wasn't crying?

How could that be?

She screwed her eyes tightly shut and tried again

She opened her eyes

Still no tears

Hermione gave a grunt of annoyance

Harry Potter the love of her life had just died…again

Hermione willed the tears to come

But her cheeks remained stubbornly dry

Okay…

Hermione realized (AN: finally) that she wasn't going to cry over Harry

At all

Not even a drip

She once again placed a hopeful hand on her cheek…just to make sure

Okay fine.

'I'm not going to cry…then I might as well do something productive'

So Hermione settled down as comfortably as she could get with her hands chained over her head and her legs cramping from her continual kneeling position

And prepared to do what she did best…

Think

Okay first of all, facts

Cold hard truths

Harry was dead

Voldemort had brought him back

Voldemort had her locked up in his dungeon

Draco didn't know

Then questions

Why had Voldemort brought Harry back?

Why had Voldemort recaptured her?

What was Voldemort going to do to her?

Was there some way to let Draco know where she was and that she needed help?

Than speculation

That Voldemort brought Harry back for the sole purpose of bringing her to him

That Voldemort wanted her for some reason…Hermione shook her head. She DEFFINETLY did not want to get into THAT

She frowned

She inevitably would have to get into that, if she wanted to figure out what was going on but…she'd come back to it when she wasn't feeling so…well…weak!

Righto back to speculations

That if what Draco had said was true she would some how be able to contact him…let him know that she needed his help

That-

Hermione's musings were cut off at the sound of echoing footsteps

She stood, standing up as straight as she could while making allowances for the shackles

She wouldn't face her captor on her knees

She would not make this easy for him

XOXOXOXOXOX

Draco skidded to a stop in front of the forest

Pushing his sopping wet, silver hair out of his eyes

What was he supposed to do now?

He didn't know which way they went from here

He didn't know where to go

Where would Potter have taken Hermione?

Where?

Draco plunged heedlessly into the forest

He didn't know where she was…all he knew was that he had to find her

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

(AN: This next scene is very reminiscent of the first chapter. Also IMPORTANT: THIS IS A DARKER PART OF THE CHAPTER CRUCATIUS CURSE USED…A LOT…if you are not into that kinda thing DO NOT READ)

The footsteps came to a halt in front of Hermione's cell door followed by the jingle of keys and the door to her prison slowly swung open

Hermione squinted trying to make out the features of the silhouette in the door way, the torches behind him cast his face in shadows

The man took a step into the room and Hermione finally saw his face

The glowing red eyes

The slitted nostrils

The pale skin

Why was Voldemort here?

Well obviously he was here to kill/torture/maim her (AN: Take your pick! .) but why was HE here?

Why hadn't he sent some nasty, over weight, leering, masochistic prison keeper with a penchant for leather and whips to come and kill her?

Or at least send someone to fetch and bring her up to some nice clean ball room, or the great hall or something, where he could kill her while sitting in a plush chair wearing that I-am-the-supreme-ruler-of-the-world-and-will-now-kill-you-while-sitting-down-because-you-are-not-worthy-enough-for-me-to-expend-even-the-small-amount-of-energy-I-would-use-to-stand-up-with-on. (AN: boo hoo…did that even make sense? Hehe…I actually don't care)

That's what he SHOULD be doing

But oh no

He was here

In the dimly lit, musty, cold dungeons (AN: Actually it is my opinion that the Dungeons would be quite nice. You could go for a kind of Gothic theme with heavy silver candelabras and red carpeting to brighten the place up…rambling again aren't I?)

HE was HERE

Oh god

She was going to die chained up like a dog

She was going to die

Hermione stood even straighter and tilted her chin up and pasted on a devil may care look

Bring it Voldemort

Give me your best shot

Hermione looked Voldemort square in the eye…and sneered

XOXOXOXOX

Draco ran through the forest, heedless to the branches that whipped across his face and ripped his clothes

Where was she?

Where could he have taken her?

A burst of icy pain hit his jaw

His hand went immediately to his face, a reflexive reaction

It felt as if he had been hit…but…

Hermione

The bastard had hit Hermione

He tore of with a fresh determination

He had to find her

XOXOXOXOXOX

Hermione's head snapped to the side with an audible snap from the force of the blow

Hermione gaped in shock

Turning back to face Voldemort, she wiped a dribble of blood from her mouth on her shoulder

Had Voldemort just hit her?

Okay, killing her with a spell she could see

But actually getting his hands dirty?

Very not Voldemort like

Hermione met Voldemort's crimson eyes once again

And then spit on his shoe

XOXOXOXOXOX

Draco felt another wave of pain, this time it ripped through his body, leaving him weak and shaking

The crucatius curse

He had been privy to it many times, the ripping agony

But it wasn't he that was experiencing it…it was Hermione

Draco stumbled over a root and fell to his knees scraping his wrists open, the pain resonating through him, as exquisite as the sound of ripping silk

He wrapped his arms around himself and shook with the pain

He had to find Hermione

His eyes welled up with frustrated tears

He had to find her

Find her before Harry killed her

He dug his hands into the muddy ground and threw his head back his face turned towards the unforgiving sky framed by towering black trees, and screamed

"HERMIONE!" His head fell foreword limply and his shoulders shook

The bastard was going to killer her, the bastard was going to kill her and he couldn't do anything about it

He couldn't find her

He couldn't rescue her

He couldn't sense where she was, just her pain

Just the crucatius

The tears began to fall in earnest now

Tracing silvery patterns down his cheeks as the despair broke him

He had sworn he would protect her

And now

And now she was probably dead

And he couldn't do anything

He couldn't do anything to save her

He turned his hands palm up towards the rain and watched as the mud washed away, showing the shallow lacerations along both his palms that he had attained when he fell, the rain rinsed the blood across his palm, flowing over the scar on his palm leaving his skin clean, and devoid of all traces of dirt and blood

He couldn't save her

He was useless

He stared at his hands, the rich pampered hands one would expect a Malfoy to have. The only sign he did anything, were the tracery of small calluses along his fingertips from wielding the wand

And the scar

The scar from the blood bonding

Draco blinked the rain out of his eyes

No he wasn't useless

He just had to find her

If he could find her then…

The tears began to fall again, mingling with the rain as they fell down his face

But he couldn't' find her

Not anywhere

Their bond was broken

Draco had just lost all hope when a warm throbbing started in his right palm

He looked down to see the scar on his palm glowing a soft red

Pulsing in time with his heart beat

And then images were flashing through his brain

In front of his eyelids like a slide show

Hermione kissing Harry at the edge of the forest

Hermione telling Harry she was sorry and that she had to go

Harry's eyes glowing red

Red

Crimson Eyes

Draco's own silvery blue eyes snapped open

"Voldemort" he whispered, his voice raspy with hate

He knew where Hermione was

XOXOXOXOXOXOX

Hermione bit through her lip, trying to keep from screaming

But the pain was to much

She screamed

Tears running down her sweaty face

Her arms strained against the shackles as she writhed in agony

Her hands clenched into fists, her nails digging into her palms, leaving crescent moon shaped pools of blood that smeared on her palms, across the scar

Voldemort released her from the grip of the spell and watched as she fell limply to her knees.

She would have collapsed entirely if it weren't for the shackles holding her erect

He smiled coldly as her body heaved with dry sobs

And then when she lifted her dirty, tear stained face to his and once again met his eyes, her hair hanging limply around her face, he raised his wand and pointed it towards her

"And again my dear"

With a casual flick of his wand and a casual "Crucio" he had her body going rigid, her back arching as if a wire were running through her

Her muscles bunched as she tried to fight the agony

And then she screamed

The sound so pleasurable to Voldemort's ears he closed his eyes to enjoy it more fully

And if he had had them open he would have noticed something strange

Hermione's right palm had begun to glow, a pulsating, soft red aura that soon dissipated

When Voldemort next opened his eyes the glow was gone and Hermione was still thrashing wildly, her arms straining against their bonds and her eyes were clenched tightly shut, tears squeezing out the corners

Then he released her

And once again Hermione fell foreword, this time, to tired and spent to even cry

"That should be enough for now" he hissed, and pocketed his wand

"I suppose that that insatiable curiosity is gnawing at you isn't it my dear? You're wondering why you're here. Why haven't just killed you." He laughed here "I wouldn't worry about that though, the end will come soon enough." He crouched down and tilted Hermione's head up towards him

Her eyes were glassy and unfocused

And then he leaned in closely, as if he were about to tell her a great secret

And when his lips were right next to her ear he whispered "I had planned on killing you sooner, but I hadn't counted on you being so much more fun alive."

He leaned back and studied her pale, sweaty face, the blood from where she had bit through her lip dried to a brownish red on her chin, her eyes dull and unfocused.

"You hardly look like an opponent worthy of me." He drawled "A filthy weak mudblood. Normally I would just kill you. You have no apparent value. You're body is weak. Your magic is strong yes, but no stronger then some of my followers. The only redeeming quality is your mind. A brilliant mind. It's unfortunate that it is in such a tainted, useless body. But then again…brains can only take you so far. No if it wasn't for one little thing…I would have killed you immediately."

Hermione's blue eyes flickered weakly

"You're wondering what that one reason is?" Voldemort stood and began to pace back and forth across the cell, running his wand idily through his fingers "It's Harry Potter" He looked towards Hermione, acknowledged the shock on her face "Harry loved you. I saw it. Felt it."

XOXOXOXOXOXO

Hermione gaped in horror

He FELT it?

He felt love?

He loved HER?

Hermione almost shook her head but the blinding, thumping pain that erupted at the tiniest of movements stayed the gesture

No he didn't love her

There must be some other explanation

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

"When I cursed him, the first time, I created a bond. Much like the one I created between you and Draco" He looked pointedly at her palm "Just as he could feel my emotions, I could feel his. I FELT it when he fell in love with you, and it weakened me."

Comprehension dawned on Hermione

It weakened him

Voldemort did not tolerate weakness

He didn't tolerate her

Voldemort looked towards her

"I see you are beginning to understand." (AN: but for the benefit you readers I'll continue with the explanation) "It weakened me. You weakened me. And I do not allow anything that jeopardizes my position to remain alive" he said silkily

"I had to destroy you. The one who weakened me through Harry. The one who made me and Harry experience love" he fairly spat the last word "I hated you for what you did to me. And now I can finally eradicate your presence from this world once and for all" He smiled at her" My original plan was to just kill you. But then I realized it would be so much more fun to make you suffer. To watch your pain. To watch break. And what better way to do that then to leave you alive? Leave you alive while all your friends and family were gone. Destroyed."

He grinned wickedly at the pain that washed across Hermione

Savoring it

Emotional pain was every bit as satisfying as the physical

Perhaps more so in her case

After everything she had made him feel…it was only fair to return the favor…ten fold

"Ah yes, and then I had my best idea yet. Why not GIVE you to one of the men who helped bring about this new world. One of the men you went to school with, someone who killed many of your close friends, someone you hate. But that plan back fired. It seems I misjudged Draco. He has become soft. I'll have to deal with him…" Voldemort broke off "Ah yes, but I'm getting rather off topic…where was I again?"

He looked towards Hermione

"Oh yes that's right, the plan. Thank you for reminding me. It back fired. It would have been most amusing to watch, but I hadn't counted on Draco's attachment to you. He fell in love with you, or was in love with you all along. He's changed" Voldemort frowned "Ah well, that's not important. He was soft, weak. When I offered to blood bond you two, I never thought he would accept. That was my first clue something wasn't right. But I let him take you anyways. I watched. But there was never any torture. No pain inflicted. He didn't do anything. I had thought that when the time came he would simply give you back to me. But now…well he was in love with you, and you with him. The blood bond would not allow me to take you, and I knew he wouldn't give you to me and you would never come of your own accord."

Voldemort looked over at Hermione, his face screwed up into a sick mockery of a smile

"So then I stumbled upon another amazing idea. Harry. Harry Potter. The love of your life. One of the only things keeping you from telling Draco you loved him and making the bond unbreakable. I brought Harry back, and you came away with him willingly. I took back the power I used to raise him, and cast the imperius. And now…now you're here with me."

He stopped pacing and stood in front of her

"And I finally get to kill you. Not yet I don't think. You've had it way to easy for the past months. I think I'll make you suffer a bit more before I release you."

And once again he hit her limp body with the Crucatius curse

And watched her twitch in agony

Her anguished screams were like music

XOXOXOXOXOX

Draco apparated to the outskirts of the Hogwarts land

His glacial eyes hard and determined

He was going to rescue Hermione

He began to run across the grounds, from the outskirts of the forest, past the dilapidated game keepers hut, and up the expansive lawn of Hogwarts

He was almost there

XOXOXOXOXOX

Hermione had felt the effects of the crucatius curse before

On numerous occasion

She had steeled herself for the pain

Resolved not to scream

She had felt the effects of the crucatius curse before…

But never like this

Voldemort's curses were a thousand times stronger, simply because of the pure hate he was channeling through his wand

Every second she spent under the curse felt like an eternity

The pain ripping her

Tearing her

Destroying her

Hermione's resolve had broken under the first onslaught

In the first second

At the first taste of the pain

But a hundred times worse then the physical pain, was the mental anguish

Voldemort had successfully manipulated all of them

And now there was no escape

No escape from the pain

The pain that was slamming into her, remorselessly

No escape from the inevitable

Death

And finally the world dimmed before Hermione's eyes, faded

And she slipped into blessed unconsciousness

XOXOXOXOXOXOOX

Voldemort released her from the curse as her body went limp

He grinned

Yes that was enough for now

He didn't want to kill her just yet

No that was enough for tonight

He'd come back tomorrow

And repeat the process

Every day

Until she broke

XOXOXOXOXOX

As he hurried up the immense steps of Hogwarts he cast on himself every single invisibility spell he knew

And slowly opened the elephantine front doors of Hogwarts

Moving quickly and silently he entered the hallway

Making sure his boots made not even the tiniest of noises

This was much too easy

There were no wards, no guards

Draco congratulated himself on his good luck

But he still had to find where Hermione was

Where that bastard was keeping her

Draco clenched his hands into fists

Really what had he been expecting?

That Voldemort would just give her to him?

No strings attached

Draco would have snorted if he hadn't been preoccupied with quietly opening and closing doors

He should have known it was Voldemort all along

You know what they said about twenty twenty hind sight after all

Harry being back was strange enough

And the tainted magic

The taint he recognized now as Voldemort

He should have known

Now where was she?

Draco continued to open and close doors

Becoming more and more frustrated as the minuets ticked by

The minuets slowly became an hour

Draco was very, very, pissed

By the time he found her she'd probably already be dead

And so would he if Voldemort found him

He had to find her

And soon

His right hand began to pulse

And this time, when the scar glowed red, Draco realized what it was

His mouth fell open and shock and then snapped shut with an audible click

Well that was blood bonding for you

And all of a sudden Draco knew where Hermione was

He raced down the stair case and expertly jumped the missing stair

He was coming for her

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

Hermione slowly regain consciousness

The pain growing in intensity as she awoke

Degree by degree

Hermione wished she had stayed unconscious

She opened her eyes weakly

And immediately wished she hadn't

Even that small movement sent sharp stabbing pains through her body

Pale echoes of the crucatius curse

She tried again, to open her eyes

And this time kept them wisely half closed

Her blurry vision focused dimly on the cell door

The cell door that appeared to be opening

Hermione blinked

Trying to bring the fuzzy picture into focus

It still appeared to be opening

Hermione stared at it dumbly

But that couldn't be

There was no one there to open it

But still the door opened

And there, standing in the doorway was…nobody

Hermione blinked in confusion

'I must be hallucinating' she mused

XOXOXOXOXOOXOXOX

Draco stood in the door way of the cell and could only stare

Hours ago Hermione had been well dressed, clean, skinny and bruised yes, but healing. Her eyes had been full of life and her hair back to a slightly less fuzzy longer version of her hair

But now

Her dress robe was stiff with mud and blood, and the hem was ripped almost to her waist in places, she was splattered with dirt and filth from head to foot, her eyes were blurry and unfocused her hair lay lankly around her face. Her left cheek was swollen and already bruising

But she was alive

Draco moved swiftly towards her and ran a gentle hand along her cheek

Hermione flinched back, fear painted across her features

"Whose there?" she whispered hoarsely

Draco blinked confusedly before he remembered that he was invisible

Muttering the charm to counteract the original one he became once again visible

"Draco?" Hermione gasped

Shock evident on her tired features

Draco once again reached out a hand to her cheek, and this time she didn't move away

"Yes love it's me" He gently tucked a strand of ginger colored hair behind her ear "Let get you out of these things" he whispered and pulled out his wand

Pointing them at the shackles he muttered "Alohomora" and Hermione's binds released with a quiet snick

Catching Hermione as her limp body fell foreword, freed from the bindings, the only thing keeping her upright, he pulled her to her feet

Looking her in the eyes he said "Hermione. You have to stay awake! Do you understand? I'm going to get you out of here, but I need your help."

Hermione nodded blurrily and then said "Draco…I tried to come back! But Harry…I love you Draco! I love you!" her voice urgent

Draco's heart jumped with elation but Draco had to worry about getting them out of the dungeons

While she spoke he wrapped one of Hermione's arms around his neck, and wrapped his own around her waist, supporting her and they began to walk out of the cell

"I know Hermione" He said quietly "I felt it. We have to get you out now. Do you understand?"

Hermione's vision was becoming rapidly less fuzzy and her mind sharper

"Yes Draco, I understand…lets get the hell out of here."

They reached the stairs that would take them out of the dungeons and began the agonizing climb

Each step Hermione took felt like thousands of hot needles were being rammed into her skin

But she continued to climb, biting her already abused lips to keep from whimpering

She had to be strong

Yes Draco was rescuing her

But she wasn't very well going to let him do all the work

She was much to much of a feminist to allow him to do all the work for her without bristling in anger

So up they climbed

Draco elated with the fact that, he had rescued her and that she loved him

And Hermione…well…the only thing keeping Hermione on her feet was pure determination

She was NOT going to fall over

They were almost out

They were in the entrance hall and the front doors were becoming closer and closer

And she would not spoil her exit by falling over

They reached the doors just as the clock in the hall toned one o'clock

Draco shifted Hermione so that he could open the door and she gasped in pain

Draco had just turned his head towards her to mutter a quick apology, when a voice cut through the silence of the hall, as sharp and as cold as a knife edge

"Well, well, well, leaving so soon?"

Draco stopped dead; his hand poised a mere inch from the door knob

Looking down at himself he realized, to late, that he had forgot to recast the invisibility charm

And they both turned to meet the glowing red eyes of their fate

AN: WOOHOO!!!! Chapter Twelve is DONE! Oh gosh I'm sorry about the long wait…oh wait…it's only been eleven days. But still it felt like a long time to me. It took me forever to get my lazy ass going on this chapter…I've been procrastinating hehehehe. Well one more chapter to go and then we are done! Maybe I'll do an epilogue but…I don't' think so.

Draco: Good. This cruel mockery of a wonderful story is almost complete. Then you'll leave us alone

Voldemort: You know I'm really not all that bad…I mean…a good physiatrist and I'd be good as new

OA: ::ignoring Voldemort:: Well no I'm afraid I won't be leaving you alone. I have another story I'm going to start working on as soon as this one is finished

Draco: ::ignoring Voldemort as well:: Damnit

Voldemort: No really I mean I'm not as evil as everyone seems to think. I believe my hate for muggles comes from abandonment issues that I have with my father

Hermione: ::ignoring Voldemort:: what was up with that chapter anyways? Torturing me? I mean…god…how sick ARE you?

OA: ::also ignoring Voldemort:: it was necessary to the plot

Voldemort: And I mean I can't get any closure being as he's dead…you know I killed him…maybe I have guilt issues as well

Hermione: ::continuing to ignore Voldemort:: oh sure the plot. Everything is about the plot! Have you ever stopped to consider MY feelings about all of this?

Voldemort: Why are you guys ignoring me? It's making me angry

OA: ::still ignoring Voldemort:: Well…I guess you're right…I should be more considerate of your feelings

Voldemort: Come on! Stop it! I'm baring my soul and you won't even acknowledge me

Hermione: ::Voldemort? Where?:: Thank you very much

Draco: ::I don't see a Voldemort anywhere:: Hey! What about me?

Voldemort: STOP IT!

OA: ::Voldemort…the name sounds so familiar…hm…::What about you?

Voldemort: YOU"RE MAKING ME MAD!!

Draco: ::See no evil hear no evil:: Well can't you be more considerate of my feelings as well?

OA: Well…I suppose I could….

Voldemort: AVADA KEDAVRA ::kills everyone in the room::

Voldemort:…damnit…I guess I really am a bad person

OA: REVIEW! AUTHORS NEED FOOD TO!!!!


	14. Chapter 13: Endings

AN: The name of the game is procrastination. That's what I've been doing. I wrote this all today, after posting ten days ago. This is what procrastination gets you kids, a back ache, and poor vision squints at the computer screen

Disclaimer: Once upon a time there lived a girl. This girl was a prodigy. She was an amazingly talented writer. She wrote a series called Harry Potter. She has been on the best selling list, in the top three spots, since releasing the first book in 1997. She got a movie deal, and is now the richest woman in England. Richer then the queen. This girl was me. Then I woke up.

Reviewers: You're reviews mean so much to me! I read them and they make me soooo Happy! You guys really make my day!

Oni Tenchie: Okay! tackelhugs

Geekofyerdreams: Luv ya to! And I am not your slave! is aghast I'm only Tom's slave…sex slave that is…or is he MY sex slave? Hm…doesn't matter…either way I get what I want

Mintytoothpick: Thanks luv

Soul-Dead-Dragon: It's the style maaaaan Jive with it

Haystack8190: Your wish is my command. Here it is oh master

Allayne: Oh I will most definitely think up some new torture-er…story…yes that's it…story. Thanks sweetie. But death threats are surprisingly inspirational. Although I'm happy you didn't decide to threaten me! I get enough of that from Draco-in-the-closet

The-sexy-flower: Oh come! Just admit it! You know you read the story just for the conversations at the end! (That's okay though! That's my favorite part to write)

Dershana: You'll be happy to know that I have received enough death threats…er…reviews to make me write an epilogue.

Malleana: No…Voldemort is a lot of things…but he's not a pedophile…although I do enjoy a Tom/Hermione, Tom/Ginny story…but that's different isn't it?

Sailor PPearl: Arise good knight PPearl! And read! And review of course!

Asiangrl91: here ya go!

Dracos-DAMNsexy27: I don't' know but cliffies are horrible to read but addictive to write

Kelsey Malfoy xox: giggles Why thank you! I feel so appreciated. Some one who gets my warped sense of humor! tackelhugs

Sk8erpunkGCpnay: Everyone loves my disclaimers. Oh good so everything did come together nicely? That's wonderful! You better update you Harry Potter fics or I'll KEEEEEEEEEEEEEELL you!!!

DarkAngelB: Jesus Sally! I reviewed your goddamn story now stop threatening to with hold reviews! I'd never forgive you…well maybe I would but you'd have to GIVE me something…hehe. I know Voldemort is so…evil! Although I suppose that's why he's the villain eh?

Awwww: This time it was ten days! Although I'm writing this at eleven forty at night so if I don't update with in the next twenty minuets it'll be eleven days. Alright! Party in hell it is! I'll bring the cola.

Teralyn: Well I most certainly not want anyone to have to see THAT….just kidding…kind of…no really I'm kidding….or am I? I am honestly…yah…okay well here it is!

Ecentpatrick: haha I love your name! Yes I do want reviews. I'm a desperate woman! A woman on the edge! If I don't get my reviews I'll SNAP…just kidding…heh…Well here's the next chapter and I to think that D/Hr PAIRINGS ROCK!!!!!

Chapter Thirteen: Endings

There will come a time when you believe everything is finished. That will be the beginning.

Louis L'Amour

Draco turned slowly towards the voice

Still supporting Hermione's weight, he looked straight into Voldemort's cold crimson eyes

Draco felt Hermione go rigid and squeezed her hip reassuringly

This may be the end

But he was going to face it with his chin held high and the woman he loved at his side

No fear

He tightened his grip on his wand

XOXOXOXOX

Hermione was on the verge of a full blown panic attack…and death

Not now

It couldn't happen now

The final battle couldn't be NOW

With no back up

And her without her wand

She winced as she squared her stance, trying to take most of her weight off Draco

Her body screamed in agony, thousands of knives slicing, stabbing

Pins being stabbed viciously into every available piece of skin

She relented and allowed herself to lean on Draco

And even if she had her wand she wouldn't be able to do much

The after effects of the Crucatius curse were just as potent and formidable as the Crucatius it's self

Breathing was agony

She couldn't even stand on her own

It took all of her will and Draco to keep her upright

She groaned

How were they going to fight Voldemort like this?

Draco couldn't beat Voldemort on his own

Definitely not while holding her up

And she was completely useless

A burden

Oh why NOW of all times?

Why not in seventh year when Harry and Ron and Dumbledore had all been alive?

Why not before Neville, Ginny, and Seamus had been captured?

Before Snape had been discovered, and they had lost all their inside information

Before the Order had been found out and the members picked off, one by one

Why now?

When it was only her and Draco

An invalid and a Death Eater

Going up against Voldemort himself

And then Hermione did something completely un-Hermione like

She stopped thinking

And accepted

Yes the final battle was now

Yes Harry, Ron, and Dumbledore were dead

Yes it was only her and Draco

Yes they were fighting Voldemort

But it all boiled down to one thing; him, or them

Hermione stuck her chin out and prepared herself for the battle to end all battles

The only battle that really mattered

XOXOXOXO

"Draco" Voldemort hissed "you have betrayed me and your brothers."

Draco stayed silent, his icy eyes glimmering with defiance

Voldemort's eyes flashed malovently

He did not take well to having his servants disobey

"You do know what happens to traitors don't you Draco?" Voldemort said

Draco did not acknowledge the statement but tightened his grip on his wand

The smooth wood somehow comforting in this dire situation

"You will recall Severus Snape" Voldemort's words cracked like a whip (AN: Whip it! Whip it good! Eep! I'm sorry I couldn't resist ::cowers:: )

Draco shivered involuntarily

Yes he could remember with vivid clarity his potion professor's end

How could he forget when he himself, when the beast still had control, had participated in Snape's demise?

How could he forget when the screams echoed through his dreams along with flashes?

Glimmers of the atrocities committed

He could most definitely recall

But he would not back down

"Yes I remember Severus. He was a good man. He did the right thing. I only hope that I can be half the man he was tonight. "Draco said quietly (AN: ACK!!!! CORNY!!!! FOEGIVE ME!!!...I blame sleep deprivation)

Voldemort's lip curled in disgust "That's a disgustingly Gryffindor like sentiment if I ever heard one"

Hermione's spine went ram rod strait

That bastard

He said it like it was a bad thing

But before Hermione could voice her opinions Voldemort spoke again

"Your father would be ashamed of you"

Draco's eyes flashed

"Lucius was never a father to me. No father would force a son to live a life exactly the same as his, knowing that it would be miserable, excruciating, pointless. No father would force a son to serve a hypocritical bastard like you!" (AN: Them are fighting words Draco m'boy…battle scene, take one and….ACTION)

Voldemort's eyes hardened and his lip curled up into a pronounced snarl

"You would do well to watch your words boy. I do not deal with impudence kindly" And with that Voldemort raised his wand, pointing it directly at Draco's heart

"You should be cowering in fear, praying for my forgiveness. Groveling" Voldemort sibilated "Perhaps if you do so now, I may forgive you"

But by the inflection of Voldemort's voice Draco knew that even if he handed Hermione over on a silver platter, groveled, prayed for mercy, danced the rumba naked(AN: I would kill SO many people to see that), whatever

Voldemort would never forgive him

And would kill him with out blinking

There was no backing out

Not now

This was it

And Draco answered Voldemort's challenge with a sneer "Never" he enunciated clearly

And with that Draco raised his wand, so that it was pointing directly at Voldemort

Voldemort smiled nastily and before Draco could do anything Voldemort hissed "_ Impedimenta" _Draco prepared himself for the impact but it never came, hearing a scream, he turned his head sharply in time to see Hermione fly backwards into the wall, and as he turned to go to her, the cold voice of Voldemort said "_Imperio_"

And Draco felt, once again, the sensation that left his mind wonderfully blank, wiped of all thoughts, it was as if he were floating, dreaming…_beg…beg for forgiveness…get down on your knees and kiss my robes…_

But Draco was used to the Imperio, as most Death Eaters were and a voice in the back of his voice said, clearly, distinctly "I will not" it said "I will never bow or cower before you again…"

_Just get down on your knee…_

I won't do it, never again…

_Just get down on your knees…_

"NO!" and as these words left Draco's mouth the dream like state was lifted from him suddenly, but with out hesitating, Draco raised his wand and pointed it at Voldemort

"_Stupefy_!" Draco bellowed, at the same time that Voldemort whispered "_Protego_"

The jet of red light that shot out of the end of Draco's wand bounced off Voldemort's shield spell and hit the wall of the entry hall with a crackling hiss

"Stupefy Draco?" Voldemort said in a cold sibilant voice "I expected more from a Malfoy. You're not trying to kill me. You really have become soft. And that will be your end. "

Draco didn't answer and instead made a slashing motion with his wand, sending a wave of purple flame at Voldemort

Voldemort couldn't dodge in time, so instead he turned to the side to keep the flames from hitting him in the stomach, and the flames sliced across his side

Voldemort inhaled sharply and stared down at the rip in his black robes side, and the blood, the same color as his eyes, that dripped from the laceration to the floor

He couldn't comprehend how a mere mortal, and a follower at that, could cause him pain

Voldemort looked up and met Draco's cold eyes

And Draco shuddered despite himself

Those crimson eyes were glowing with a hate ten times stronger than ever he had ever seen

Although Draco would never know that the hate that filled those eyes when they regarded Hermione were hundreds of times more potent

When Draco had hurt Voldemort, that's when Voldemort had begun to consider him a threat.

It was no longer a game for Voldemort

Which put Draco in a considerably larger amount of danger

XOXOXOXO

Hermione's eyes fluttered open

She immediately shut them again

It felt as if someone was hammering an iron spike through her temples

She opened her eyes and feeling her back pressed hard against the wall behind her, she walked her hands up it, to regain her feet

She stood there leaning heavily against the wall of the entry hall and watched as Draco fought for his life

XOXOXO

"_Avada Kedavra"_ Draco had been expecting the killing curse

Ever since he saw that look in Voldemort's eyes

And with reflexes born of Quiddittch training, Draco threw himself sideways, dodging the blast of green light, although just barely

Hermione stifled a scream as she watched the eerie green light stream past Draco

But she couldn't do anything to help him

She could only stand here and wring her hands nervously

Be okay Draco…oh god please be okay

She sighed with relief as she saw Draco roll to his feet

"DELETRIUS!" Draco screamed

The disintegrating spell shot past Voldemort's head, missing narrowly and hitting the wall behind him

Voldemort shot streams of silver light, closely resembling arrows that whizzed so close to Draco's head that he was forced to duck. The silver light left smoldering craters in the wall behind him

"Impedimenta!" cried Voldemort

Draco went sprawling across the hall, and his wand went skidding across the hall to rest against the wall behind Hermione's foot, but her eyes were glued to the scene in front of her, and she didn't notice the slim piece of wood that was their salvation.

Then, before Draco could regain his feet Voldemort hit him with the incarcerous curse.

The ropes snaked up around Draco, binding his arms tightly to his sides, snapping his legs together and immobilizing him as effectively as _petrificus totalus_

Draco could only watch as Voldemort approached him, his wand raised, and a twisted smile gracing his gaunt face

"I'll teach you what it means to disobey the Dark Lord" Voldemort hissed "Crucio!"

Draco writhed in agony

He had experienced this curse many hundreds of times

But you never got used to it

It always felt just like the first time

You couldn't prepare yourself for it

Couldn't brace yourself

You could only accept

His bones were on fire

It felt as if his head were about to burst

He screamed, a long agonizing note that chilled Hermione to the bone

But she could only watch in horror

She couldn't move from where she was braced against the wall

She couldn't do anything

But then Draco's screams died as he slipped into unconsciousness, still bound, and twitching in pain

Voldemort raised his wand and "_Avada_-" Hermione cut him off

"NO!" she screamed

Voldemort looked at her in disgust and then turned away, back towards Draco, Not seeing the red glow that began to seep from her pores, surrounding her with an eerie glow

Once again he raised his wand, ignoring Hermione's cries "_Avada Kedavra" _Voldemort cried triumphantly

The end of his wand erupted in a green blast that shot towards Draco

"I said NO!" Hermione screamed, anguished

A pulse of red shot from her heart towards Draco

Forming a wall in front of his prone body

The killing curse struck the crimson shield, and a gong like noise reverberated through the hall, the red and green energies crackled and hissed as they fought for dominance.

Slowly the crimson grew, overwhelming the acid green of Voldemort's spell

The killing curse evaporated with a snap

Voldemort turned on Hermione angrily his wand raised

Hermione collapsed onto the floor, slumping ungracefully as her legs gave way

She was dimly aware of Voldemort approaching, but her attention was focused on something resting near her hand

Why…it looked like a wand!

But that couldn't be Hermione assured herself

She must be hallucinating

Why would a wand be laying here in the middle of the entry hall?

Hermione struggled to think through the pain induced fog enshrouding her brain

Unless…

Her eyes snapped past Voldemort towards Draco who was lying unconscious in the middle of the hall

He had no wand

By now Voldemort was mere feet from her

Hermione's hand inched towards the wand and she grasped it, the smooth wood of the wand unfamiliar, foreign

She hadn't held a wand since she had been captured

And it wasn't hers

It was Draco's

She could only pray that the wand would recognize her as a friend, as someone who loved its owner, and wanted to help

Her eyes flew frantically around the barren hall, trying to find something, anything that could help her

Her eyes found the ceiling and that something she had been searching for

Her lips curled up into a catlike smile

Perfect

She waited until Voldemort was upon her, his wand raised, his lip curled

And then she struck

Moving with an agility that shocked even her she rolled to the side, and came up on her feet

Pointing the wand she held grasped in her hand she mirrored the slashing motion Draco had made earlier

Recalling vividly the first time she had seen it

The first time she had felt its effects

That day in the Department of mysteries

Purple flames shot out of the end of Draco's wand and sliced Voldemort across the stomach

Not pausing she cried "_Impedimenta" _Sending him flying several feet up into the air, he landed in the middle of the hall with a sickening crunch

Hermione's eyes glinted with a predatory light

Moving as quickly as she was able she pointed her wand towards the ceiling and shouted "_REDUCTO_" The blast of light left her wand and hit the ceiling above the hanging chandelier

Perfect

Her aim always had been good

The plaster surrounding the chandelier cracked, and then exploded, showering her with bits of drywall

The golden monstrosity that had hung in Hogwarts for centuries came plummeting down, landing with a deafening crash

Right on top of Voldemort

Not sparing the pile of rubble a second glance Hermione limped over towards Draco

Kneeling by his side she muttered "_Enervate_"

Draco's eyes opened immediately

The crucatius having apparently no after affects

You could never lessen the pain of the Crucatius

But some things you got used to

Such as the after effects

Piercing blue eyes met Hermione's own, and then looked over her shoulder towards where the garganteuous chandelier was lying

"Good job" he muttered "Quick untie me"

Hermione tossed her ginger hair over her shoulder and pointed his wand at his bindings

But before she could say anything the chandelier was blown sky high, flying at least fifty feet up into the air and landing with a crash at the foot of the stairs, the arms of the chandelier twisting, and breaking off as the abused limbs hit solid marble once again

Voldemort stood in the middle of the hall, his sides bleeding and his dark robes billowing around his legs from the wind, caused by the spell he had just cast, still whipping through the hall way.

"You foolish little girl! Did you really think THAT could stop me" Voldemort raged, his crimson eyes flashing with fury

Hermione scrambled to her feet, her arms and legs leaden with exhaustion

Voldemort raised his wand and screamed _"Avada Kedavra"_

Hermione threw herself sideways, avoiding the blast of green light that raised the hair on her arms as it rushed past, swallowing a cry as her right arm smashed into the cold marble of the floor with an audible crunch

Trying to pick herself up off the floor, Hermione braced bother her hands on the floor and tried to rise up, her right arms buckled and collapsed

Voldemort once again raised his wand "_Avada Kedavra"_ He screamed, enraged

Hermione rolled to the left, once again just narrowly avoiding the spell, this time it rushed past her, brushing along the ends of her hair, singing them

Cradling her useless right arm to her chest Hermione regained her feet

XOXOXOXOX

Draco watched helplessly from where he was bound on the floor

He nearly cried out as Hermione avoided the first killing curse

And whimpered as the blast of green brushed past her the second time, hitting her hair

He watched as she regained her feet, as careful as a drunk

Her right arm was hugged in close to her chest

He could see from here that it was broken

She had only her left hand, and his wand to fight

With the after effects of the Crucatius still humming through her

…he was surprised she could still stand

He couldn't help the rage

That should be him out their fighting Voldemort

Not her

She was going to get hurt

And he had vowed to never let that happen

But he watched Hermione's movements closely

And new exactly what she was going to do as clearly as if he had planned it himself

No…they weren't out of the running quite yet

Voldemort you stupid bastard, he thought, she's going to kick your ass

XOXOXOXOXOX

Hermione thanked Merlin that she had practiced all the wand movements she learned with both her right, and her left hand

She had practiced so if a situation like the she was in now ever arose,

She'd be ready

Raising her left arm, so that it was level with her chest and pointed at a spot directly behind Voldemort she shouted "_WADDIWASI_!"

The grotesquely oversized chandelier hovered a few feet off the ground and then shot towards Voldemort's unprotected back

Mentally preparing herself for what she was about to do,

She watched as the chandelier knocked Voldemort off his feet

Raising her wand and pointing it at Voldemort's figure as he struggled to rise she said calmly, enunciating each syllable clearly "_Avada Kedavra"_

The blast of green light erupted from the wand tip and hit Voldemort square in the chest

Not turning to see how he fell Hermione turned and limped towards Draco, her right arm still cradled against her chest

She skidded to a halt and fell to her knees next to Draco "_Finite Incantum_" she said quietly

The bonds around Draco loosened and fell away

Rising up on his knees, he ripped the cords that were still hanging limply around him off and enveloped Hermione in a hug

Wrapping her good arm around his neck and her bad arm resting delicately on his back, she rested her head into the curve of his shoulder

And she began to cry

Her small, frail body shook with the force of her sobs

Draco rocked her slowly, back and forth, rubbing her back in small circular motions as he would a child

Over her should her studied the spread eagle form of Voldemort

His crimson eyes were open, and blissfully empty

He was dead

Hermione had done what hundreds of wizards had tried to do, and never even come close to

She had destroyed the dark lord

Draco shut his eyes and held Hermione closer

It was over

They had finished it

And now…

"Lets go home Hermione" he whispered quietly after her sobs dwindled and died

Rising up from his kneeling position, he hoisted Hermione to her feet

Turning their back on their past they headed towards the immense doors of the Great Hall, and their future

AN: Well…by popular request there will be an epilogue…soooo…I don't' know whether or not this counts as the last chapter or not. I was going to end it here but then I was threatened and I want a nice happily ever after with a happy couple and a couple of kids as much as you guys do. So I figured why the hell not?

I have a nice ending speech written but I'll save it till the next chapter…try and contain your excitement

Draco: I thought you said it was OVER

OA: Well…they threatened me

Hermione: I'll threaten you, you no good B-

OA: Now now children play nice…it's just one more chapter…and you get you're happily ever after

Draco: snorts the only happily ever after I'll ever get is when you DIE

Hermione: I agree with him for once

OA: See you DO love each other

Hermione/Draco: advance slowly on cowering author and then force feed her MacDonald's until she promises she'll never do anything involving them ever again. They then let OA go

OA: I LIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIED runs away screaming

Draco: AVADA KEDAVRA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! OA dies

OA: Damn it! I wish you'd stop doing that! It really does hurt quite a bit cracks neck Anyways. Please review. I want to know what you thought of the battle scene.


	15. Epilogue: Happily Ever After

AN: Well folks, here it is. The last chapter of Tears of an Innocent. The Epilogue. The Finale. This is it. It's been fun. I believe ending this on my birthday is a good omen. Ending my first fic is a birthday present to me. I would like to give a SQUEE! And Tackelhug to Elsepeth (GeekofyerDreams) who posted her last chapter as a birthday present to me. So without out further ado SQUEE!!!! ::tackelhugs::

Reviews: I can't tell you guys how happy your reviews make me. They make my day. I love talking to you guys. If you have an AIM sn talk to me, or a live journal add me to your friends list. Or just email me. I enjoy input on my story or just talking to my reviewers. I'll miss you all, you better come and review my new story or else ::looks threatening:: I love you guys.

Geekofyerdreams: ::tackelhugs:: I love you

Haystack8190: I'm happy you liked my little twist. I wanted Hermione to kick ass…and she did.

Dershana: You bet I'll be posting new stories. Check out From the Ground Up. I'll be rewriting the chapter that is up, and more than likely I'll change the name. But that's my new focus now that this is over

Malleana: Well…::cracks neck:: I've been told that I'm immortal before because…I AM the goddess of the apocalypse (it was a live journal test…heh LOL! I suppose I could have made Voldemort rape Hermione, however he has twisted Harry's feelings of love into hate, and finds physical release a weakness. I didn't explain that very well (one of the many things I'll work on when I'm rewriting it) On the Hermione/Tom front the best fic I've read so far is "Everything I know" by One Crimson Tie. I have a little Tom/Ginny drabble but it's nothing special…I may be expanding on it later but for right now…well…my new Hermione/Draco fic is going to take prescient

Mintytoothpick: well, here it is luv!

LegolasEstelstar: ::huggles:: NO!!!! DON'T KILL MY BABIES!!!! ::glomps Hermione and Draco:: I NEED them to write new stories…what's a little abuse? To be completely honest, I'm not sure whether or not there is a god. I definitely believe in the BELIEF of god…but do I myself believe in him?...I honestly don't know. I sure hop that if there is a hell, I won't go. I'm sure hell is no place for you either. LOL I just washed dishes.

Keda: I love epilogues as well, they're great. I'll be sure to read your story. Tell me when it's posted and I'll go check it out.

Sailor PPearl: Yes master ::obeys hurriedly:: here it is master

Ginny Weasley: Thanks luv. Here's the epilogue. This almost made me cry so…yah

Chibimecools: Yah it is. But there will be other fics by me. You better go read them to…or else ::looks threatening::

Sk8erpunkGCpnay: You better update or I'll kill you! Here's the epilogue.

Dracos-DAMN-sexy27: Not done yet…well now it is but…yah

Kichiko: MY 300TH REVIEWER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ::Glomps::

DarkAngelB: That…that was…horrible ::hides from Sally's tasteless lemons::

The-sexy-flower: Yes…I rather enjoy the conversations myself and…what story? There's a story?

Oni-Tenchie: HERE IT IS!!!!!! YAY!

V-queen: I know I would KILL to see that…yummy. Thank you

Kelsey Malfoy xox: hehe…Draco is kind of a sissy in this story…but I still love him ::huggles Draco:: I love long annoying reviews ::poke::

Gottalovedrakie: YAY! Make sure you review that one to! ::wink wink::

AND WITHOUT FURTHER ADO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Chapter Fourteen: Happily Ever After

Hermione woke slowly

Relishing the exquisite soreness of her muscles as she stretched languidly

She stared at the deep blue over hang of the bed for a moment and then turned over on her side

Pillowing her head on the shoulder of the man next her

Resting her hand on his stomach she stared at the ring that glinted on her left hand

It still didn't seem real

Waking up next to him

Being able to touch him

She expected to wake up and find herself still in the cold dungeons of Hogwarts, with Draco standing over her, telling her how much he hated her

It still didn't seem real

To be this happy

She lifted her hand up so that the sun streaming in through the window was captured in the diamond and sent spinning around the room, making the dream like state she was in more pronounced.

But the warm body of her husband next to her assured her that it was real

She stroked his silky white hair back from his face tenderly before rolling away from him, to get out of the bed

He mumbled sleepily and wrapped his arm securely around her waist, preventing her from leaving

Giving him a perturbed look she began their morning ritual

Instead of tugging at the arms she placed her feet on his warm calf and watched with glee as he shot up and gave a startled yelp

"COLD!"

She then gave him a not to gentle shove off the edge of the bed, smiling at the resounding thump

Lying down widthwise across the bed she propped her head up in her hands and stared down at the disgruntled Malfoy

"Good morning husband." She said in an amused voice

Her eyes alight with silent laughter

Draco stared up at her, his pale blue eyes glinting evilly

"Witch" he mumbled and then before Hermione could scramble backwards he sat up, grabbed her elbows, and pulled her off the bed and onto his chest

She rested her forehead against his, so that their noses were touching, her long red brown locks spread across them

"I see you're awake now" Hermione said solemnly, valiantly trying to suppress a giggle

Draco just growled

Hermione's face turned an odd shade of fuscia as the urge to giggle became more pronounced

"This" Draco said slowly "is an ungodly hour in which to wake."

Hermione sneered at him, some thing she had become increasingly good at since meeting him.

"It is" she said with a glance towards the clock "almost noon, and we are already late"

"Yes but we were up most of the night, weren't we? And they can wait…they work for me after all." Draco said silkily, a suggestive smirk playing across his pale feature

Hermione muffled a giggle and gave him a reproving look, digging her elbows into his ribs for good measure

Draco gave an undignified grunt and repaid in kind; rolling over and pinning Hermione underneath him, tickling her ribs until she was breathless with laughter

Draco stopped his attack and stared down into his wife's beautiful, flushed face

It still didn't seem real

To be this happy

To have her finally be his

To be able to love her without repercussions

To be able to kiss her

Draco's eyes wandered down to Hermione's half parted lips and the expression in his eyes darkened

Slowly his lips met hers

He didn't know how many times he had kissed her, just like this, but it always felt like the first time

His heart beat sped up and his breathing grew shallow

His body tingled with pleasure

He knew it would always be like this

When he kissed her for the hundredth time, the thousandth, and the millionth

He would always love her

"We're going to be late." Hermione mumbled against his lips as her hands slid up his chest to wrap around his neck

"So let's be late." Draco murmured

And the were

XOXOXOXOXO

It was almost two o'clock when Draco and Hermione finally made their was down the stairs towards Draco's office

Hermione still fumbling with the buttons of her blouse as she pulled on a shoe and tried to fasten her robe

Draco realized that he had forgotten his underwear and his pants were chaffing rather uncomfortably, his silver hair was mussed for once and he had misbuttoned his shirt, his robe however hid this from view.

They had an excuse

They were newlyweds

Draco held the door to the office open for Hermione and she finally got her shoe on as she walked through the doorway

"Good afternoon Mr. Shacklebolt. I apologize for making you wait." Hermione held her hand out to the tall man who stood at their entrance

"Not a problem my dear." He said, his white teeth gleaming against his dark skin, as he took her small hand in his two large ones and squeezed gently

"Do you have the information we requested Mr. Shacklebolt?" Draco queried as he moved to the seat behind the desk

"Indeed I do Mr. Malfoy." Kingsly said, his smile fading

He still hadn't trust Draco completely, even though it had been Draco who had rescued him from the dungeons of the Goyle mansion

He knew that Hermione believed him reformed but…Kingsly had his suspicions.

He would however, assist Hermione and Draco as long as it was helping the rebel faction gain strength

As long as it helped the make things right

Draco had come upon Kingsly while visiting Gregory Goyle and immediately knocked him out and brought him back to the Malfoy mansion under an invisibility spell, and a mumbled _mobilius corpus_.

Kingsly had struggled with Draco in the office, after he regained consciousness, until Hermione had come running in and ordered them both to stop, and when they hadn't, she had stopped them with a clever freezing charm.

After securing his promise to listen, and Draco's promise not to attack guests she unfroze them and sat them both down.

She explained to Kingsly how they had defeated Voldemort, but how none of the Death Eaters, except Draco, knew he was gone.

She outlined their plan in careful detail, she told him how they would allow the Death Eaters to think Voldemort was still alive, misleading them with lies that Draco would feed them. They then would begin releasing prisoners, and picking off death eaters, one by one, and gradually reform the rebel faction.

Then, when it was back at full strength, they would attack the remaining death eaters, taking them by surprise and taking them into custody.

Kingsly had listened, shocked by Hermione's daring, and Draco's sudden change of heart

He had not questioned the obvious bond between them, nor the affection shown through a casual touch, or whispered endearment, he had not batted an eyelash when they were married in a privet ceremony no more then two weeks ago.

He had followed Hermione's directions, and finally…

It was done

"These are the lists of the all the Death Eaters who were taken into custody." Kingsly said, handing Hermione a plain manila envelope "These" he continued "are the lists of Death Eaters who were killed during the fight." He said handing another manila envelope to Hermione "and this" he said slowly "is the list of witches, wizards, and muggles we recovered from various hiding locations, death camps, and privet homes in England"

Hermione dropped the other two manila envelops on to the ground and stood, taking the envelope Kingsly held

Opening it, she pulled the sheaves of paper out and stared and the list of names

There were so few, only two hundred or so, added to the one hundred that they had already liberated

She quickly scanned through the names reading the ones she recognized out loud

"Seamus Finnigan, Hannah Abott, Susan Bones, Terry Boot, Mandy Brocklehurst, Justin Finch-Fletchly" Hermione's voice broke, and she cleared her throat, reaching her hand out to grip Draco's tightly "Dudley Dursly, Ne-Neville Longbottom" Hermione began to cry, silent tears that fell down her cheeks and obscured her vision, she blinked rapidly and continued to read "Remus Lupin, Padma Patil, Dean Thomas, Nymphadora Tonks, Sybil Trelwany, Lisa Turpin, Bill Weasley and…Ginny Weasley." Hermione looked up her lip trembling

"They're alive Draco! They're all alive" Hermione sank slowly back down into her chair, and then she began to cry in earnest, great gulping sobs that shook her slim frame

She cried for the people on the list, but more for the people who were not.

Fred

George

Ron

Molly

Arthur

Dedalus Diggle

Emmaline Vance

Hestia Jones

Sturgis Podmore

Moody

Sirius

Dumbledore

Percy

Snape

McGonagal

They were all gone

And so many thousands of others

And for what?

Some mad man's schemes

Draco stood, and walked around the desk, wrapping his arms around Hermione, his chin resting on top of her head as she sobbed into his chest

"All these people Draco! They're all alive!" she whispered "They're okay." She stared at the list and then she began to laugh.

Holding on tighter to Draco she laughed while the tears streamed down her cheeks

All those names

The hope spread through her like a wild fire

These people were the future of Wizarding England

"They're all okay" she gasped through her laughter "Everything's going to be okay." She whispered

She leaned away from Draco and took his hand "Everything" she repeated

Kingsly watched the scene with a tear in his eye, then he turned on his heel and closed the door on the newlywed couple

He couldn't help but embrace that small glimmering hope, this joy he felt

It didn't seem real

To be this happy

AN: This may not be exactly what you were expecting, but I needed some closure. I wanted to tell you who was alive, I wanted to give Hermione and Draco hope, I wanted to give them a happily ever after. I didn't want it to be clichéd.

Well folks that was it. The chapter lengths have been erratic, the plot has been shaky at best, but this story never failed to bring a smile to my face. I can only hope it's done the same to you.

I will be rewriting this story and reposting it shortly. There will be new scenes and all (most) of the spelling mistakes will have been corrected as well as some grammatical errors. I've been working on the Time line for my story "From the Ground Up" The chapter that is up now on my page is more of a rough draft, I'll be replacing it and probably changing the name of the story. It will be dramatically different from this one, but better I hope.

Now, being as it's the last chapter you have no reason not to review….so please, please, please review.

Draco: HAHAHAHAH IT'S OVER!!!!!!!!!!

Hermione: ::sighs:: were you not listening? There will be another one.

Draco: Damn it…will I be a sissy in that one to?

OA: No…you get to punch Harry! ::claps::

Draco:…well I'm good with that

Hermione: ::grabs Draco by the lapels:: you touch him and I'll kill you

Draco: ::laughs nervously:: you aren't acting very wifely

Hermione : ::growls::

OA: Hey! I'm not dead yet!

Draco: ::looks towards author:: One more time? For old times sake

OA: ::sighs:: Oh…very well

Draco/Hermione: ::duct tape author to rocket:: THREE…TWO…ONE….::light rocket, author goes flying into the stratosphere::

Sky: ::rains bits of OA::

REVIEW!!!!


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